Successful transcatheter management of Palmaz Stent embolization after superior vena cava stenting

Surgical removal of endovascular stent after migration to the right ventricle following right subclavian vein deployment for treatment of central venous stenosis

Central venous stenosis or occlusion occurs in 11-50% of hemodialysis patients with prior subclavian vein cannulation and ipsilateral fistula or shunt. Most patients are asymptomatic but some require treatment to reduce the risk of thrombosis and improve inadequate hemodialysis pressure. In these cases, endovascular intervention, including ballooning and stenting, is a feasible strategy for selected patents. We report an unusual case of a 40-year-old man on hemodialysis that underwent endovascular stenting to treat right subclavian vein stenosis and experienced stent migration to the right ventricle, requiring surgical removal.

Migration of an endovascular stent from superior vena cava to the right ventricular outflow tract in a patient with superior vena cava syndrome

Migration of endovascular stents is a rare problem but can be fatal. We report an unusual case of an endovascular stent in the right ventricular outflow tract, which migrated from superior vena cava in a patient with superior vena cava syndrome.

Management of Central Venous Stent Migration in a Patient with a Permanent Inferior Vena Cava Filter

Stent embolization is a rare complication in the treatment of central venous stenoses in patients receiving long-term hemodialysis. The authors report a case of nitinol stent embolization into the right atrium in which the stent could not be repositioned across an indwelling permanent inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. The migrated stent was managed by advancing the stent to the superior margin of the IVC filter and then deploying a second suprarenal IVC filter to prevent repeat embolization.

Percutaneous techniques for managing maldeployed or migrated stents

PURPOSE

To report our experience in the percutaneous management of dislocated endovascular stents.

METHODS

During a 6-year period, 28 (2.7%) patients with a maldeployed or migrated endovascular stent (20 Palmaz, 5 Wallstent, 2 Memotherm, and 1 AVE) were recognized among 1021 patients undergoing noncardiac vascular stent procedures. Percutaneous stent management was performed using balloon catheters, gooseneck snares, grasping forceps, or additional stent implantation on the basis of the stent type, degree of expansion, mechanical characteristics, and location of the stent.

RESULTS

Three stents that embolized into the pulmonary artery were left in situ, but percutaneous management was successful in 23 (92%) of the remaining 25 dislocated stents (12 venous and 13 arterial stents). Twelve stents were repositioned in an alternate, stable position or the primarily intended location; 4 stents were anchored by a second stent, and 7 stents were removed percutaneously. In the 2 failed cases, the stents were retrieved using a minor surgical procedure. There were 2 minor groin hematomas but no secondary complications during a median follow-up of 26.2 months (range 1-62).

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous management of migrated or maldeployed endovascular stents is highly effective with few complications. On the basis of our findings, these techniques should be considered the therapy of choice.

Percutaneous Retrieval of Lost or Misplaced Intravascular Objects

OBJECTIVE

We report on our experience with percutaneous interventional techniques for retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies or repositioning of misplaced endovascular prostheses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Over a period of 6 years, we attempted percutaneous treatment of intravascular foreign bodies in 45 patients. The 45 foreign objects consisted of 12 endovascular stents, 14 catheter fragments, 11 embolization coils, four guidewire fragments, three vena cava filters, and one cardiac valve fragment. Percutaneous extraction was performed using a combination of multipurpose catheters and nitinol snare loop or grasping forceps. Depending on their composition, misplaced or dislodged intravascular stents were either repositioned or percutaneously removed.

RESULTS

Percutaneous intervention was successful in 41 (91.1%) of 45 patients. Of 38 patients on whom we performed percutaneous removal, the procedure was successful in 34 patients (89.5%), including 13 of the 14 patients with catheter fragments, all four of the patients with guidewire fragments, 10 of the 11 patients with misplaced or dislodged embolization coils, four of the five patients with misplaced or dislodged endovascular stents, and all three of the patients with misplaced or dislodged vena cava filters. The procedure was not successful in the one patient with a cardiac valve fragment. All seven of the percutaneous repositioning procedures we performed resulted in the endovascular stent being successfully repositioned in a stable intravascular position. Most of the retrieval procedures (77.7%) were performed using the nitinol snare as the primary instrument. No late complications were registered during the follow-up period, which ranged from 9 to 68 months (mean, 42.4 months overall).

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous techniques for the extraction of intravascular foreign objects or for repositioning of dislocated endovascular stents are highly effective with a low rate of complications and should always be the primary method of choice.

Management of misplaced or migrated endovascular stents

PURPOSE

To report experience with techniques for management of misplaced or migrated endovascular stents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

During a 5-year period, percutaneous management of 27 misplaced or migrated endovascular stents (16 Palmaz, 11 Wallstents) in 25 patients was attempted. The 17 venous and 10 arterial stents were rescued from the aorta (n = 9), inferior vena cava (IVC) (n = 4), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt/IVC (n = 2), right atrium (n = 3), right ventricle (n = 2), pulmonary artery (n = 2), iliac vein (n = 2), iliac artery (n = 1), superior vena cava (n = 1), and superior mesenteric vein (n = 1).

RESULTS

Stent management was successful in 26 of 27 cases (96%). Eleven stents were removed percutaneously, two were repositioned and removed with a minor surgical procedure, and 13 were repositioned and deployed in a stable alternate location. The only complication was the development of tricuspid insufficiency in the single case in which the procedure failed (4% complication rate). This patient's stent was eventually surgically removed from the right ventricle.

CONCLUSION

Misplaced or migrated endovascular Palmaz and Wallstents can be effectively managed with few complications by using a variety of percutaneous techniques.

Superior vena cava syndrome. Experience with endovascular stents and surgical therapy

Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is a serious complication of benign and malignant diseases. Benign causes may be increasing because of the increased use of central venous cannulation. Modern surgical therapy is durable with a few complications. Traditional treatment for SVC obstruction from malignant causes has consisted of anticoagulation, radiation, chemotherapy, and occasionally surgery. Endovascular techniques present a new treatment option for these patients, and uses a combination of thrombolysis, angioplasty, and intravascular stents. Short-term results are excellent with relatively rapid patient recovery. Further research is needed to elucidate the long-term results of endovascular treatment and to find its role in benign and malignant disease.

Transcatheter retrieval of an embolized Palmaz stent from the right ventricle of a child

A young girl in whom a Palmaz stent embolized from the pulmonary artery to the right ventricle during a prior cardiac catheterization underwent successful retrieval and repositioning by a transcatheter technique 8 d later. This technique provides an alternative to surgery when intracardiac embolization of a stent occurs.

Extraction of fully deployed coronary stents

Coronary stents are often used because of their potential to improve the acute and long-term results of balloon angioplasty. The Palmaz-Schatz stent has been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration largely because of a demonstrated reduction in the incidence of restenosis following its primary implantation. The Gianturco-Roubin design has been approved for use when balloon angioplasty results in threatened or acute vessel closure. In practice, both stent types are being used in settings when the results of balloon angioplasty are either potentially or actually unacceptable. In such circumstances it is imperative that stents be placed accurately and carefully. Occasionally, stent misplacement, embolization, or disruption can occur, and the need arises to recover and/or reposition the wayward prosthesis. This review describes the removal and recovery of fully deployed Gianturco-Roubin stents using an intracoronary snare technique.