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

Stents migration into right atrium from severely calcified superior vena cava in a hemodialysis patient

Vascular calcification is common among hemodialysis patients. In this report, we presented a case of superior vena cava (SVC) stent migration during endovascular angioplasty in a 50-year-old female hemodialysis patient with severe SVC calcification. The stent migration was refractory to the deployment of a second anchor stent, which shortly resulted in pericardium tamponade and was successfully rescued by emergent thoracotomy. The potential role of vascular calcification as a risk factor to stent migration was discussed. Patients with severe vascular calcification receiving endovascular angioplasty might need a careful risk screening for stent migration.

A review of the incidence, outcome and management of venous stent migration

INTRODUCTION

Percutaneous endovenous stenting has emerged during the last decade as the primary method of treating symptomatic venous outflow obstruction. A recognised complication of venous stenting is stent migration. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the number of cases reported in the published literature describing stent migration, to recognise risk factors that may be associated with this complication, and outcomes following migration.

METHODS

A review was conducted following MOOSE and PRIMSA guidelines and registered on PROSPERO. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed databases and key references were searched using specified keywords. All relevant data for primary procedure and subsequent presentation with stent migration was retrieved. Data was assessed as too low quality to allow for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Between 1994 and 2020, 31 articles were identified comprised of 29 case reports and 2 case series providing data for 54 events of venous stent migration with 47/54 providing some data for stent used. Mean age of patients in who migration occurred was 50 years (range 19-88) and 57.6% (n=30) were male. Most reported cases were 60mm or less in length (38/46, 82.6%) and only 3 of the reports were stents greater than 14mm in diameter (3/47, 3.6%). None of the papers reported migration of stents of more than 100mm in length. In 85% of the migrated stent events, retrieval was attempted with 56% via an endovascular approach. The immediate outcome was satisfactory in 100% of the reported attempts whether by endovascular or open surgical approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

This literature review would suggest that the risk of migration is rare but may be underreported. The majority of reported cases are shorter and smaller diameter stents. The paucity of published data and the short term follow up provided suggest more formal data collection would provide a truer reflection of incidence however clear strategies to avoid migration need to be followed to prevent this complication from occurring.

Migration of covered stents in thoracic central vein obstruction procedures in patients with hemodialysis: Case report and literature review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study is to present a case of hemodialysis in which the covered stent that had migrated into the right ventricle was retrieved by exploratory thoracotomy, and to review the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of stent migration in thoracic central vein obstruction (TCVO) procedures for hemodialysis patients.

METHOD

A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed to identify clinical presentations, imaging strategies, stent types, and treatment modalities for stent migration in hemodialysis patients.

RESULTS

A total of 14 case reports on stent migration in TCVO procedures for hemodialysis patients were included and analyzed. Ten cases included migration to the cardiac chambers and the remainder migration to the pulmonary artery. The common symptoms of stent migration in TCVO procedures are reported to be chest pain and dyspnea, while three of the cases studied involved no symptoms. Echocardiography, chest X-ray, and computed tomography are the commonly used methods for the diagnosis of stent migration and identification of the precise positioning of the stent. Stent migration to the right subclavian or innominate veins was the most prevalent case (seven cases). All were bare stents. Seven cases involved retrieval by interventional surgery, while four cases involved retrieval by open heart surgery. However, there were three cases in which the "wait-and-see" approach was adopted since the patients were asymptomatic.

CONCLUSIONS

Stent migration in TCVO procedures is a rare but extremely serious complication. The causes are not fully understood. The current treatment strategies include interventional surgery, open heart surgery, and the "wait-and-see" approach.

Percutaneous endovascular Y-stenting of a malignant superior vena cava and innominate vein obstruction

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is considered one of the telltale signs of a terminal malignant process. We describe a successful endovascular desobliteration of a subtotal occluded SVC and the left innominate vein using a Y-stent technique in a 46-year-old female with a mediastinal nodal metastasis of a relapsing renal cell carcinoma. Complete clinical improvement in the symptoms within the first 24 hours of the procedure and no complication were observed. This report describes endovascular stenting of the SVC as a palliation therapy to overcome the severe clinical symptoms of SVCS besides surgical or chemotherapy in mediastinal malignancy masses.

Real time three-dimensional echocardiography and endovascular stenting

A 52-year-old male with HIV and chronic renal failure presented with 2-day history of fever and chills. He had recent superior vena cava (SVC) stent placement for SVC stenosis following multiple dialysis-catheter insertions. Patient's blood cultures grew methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. Two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography showed no vegetations. With high clinical suspicion, 2D transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) was obtained and confirmed no endocarditis and patent stent at SVC right atrial junction; however, entire stent was not visualized. Simultaneous three-dimensional TEE provided superior views of SVC stent in cross-sectional and longitudinal planes, clearly demonstrating patent stent without vegetations, stenosis, migration, or thrombosis.

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.