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An 86-year-old man with a recent myocardial infarction underwent coronary angiography, which revealed total occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ostium and intermediate stenosis of the proximal left circumflex artery (LCX) (
Figure 1A,
Supplementary Figure 1A and 1B). After stenting with a 3.5×38-mm Resolute Integrity™ (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) from the left main (LM) to the LAD, we attempted T-stenting with a 2.75×18-mm Promus Premier™ (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA) in the compromised LCX ostium (
Figure 1B,
Supplementary Figure 1C). Despite repeated predilation and kissing balloon (KB) inflation at the LM bifurcation (
Figure 1C), the stent failed to cross the LCX ostium and its distal tip became stuck (
Figure 1D). After removing the whole stent system, prolapse and deformation of the distal struts were noted (
Figure 2). A 2.5×14-mm Resolute Integrity™ was chosen instead and successfully deployed. The procedure was completed with a final KB at the LM bifurcation (
Figure 1E). To address increasing concerns regarding longitudinal stent deformation (LSD) with newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs), the Promus Premier™ was redesigned to reinforce the axial strength of proximal end, where almost all LSDs occurred in the previous Promus Element™.
1)2)3) However, the distal end of the Promus Premier™ is also vulnerable to longitudinal injury, as highlighted in this case. This is a reminder that caution is needed when using thinner-strut DESs because of their increased vulnerability to different types of deformation or injury due to the current prioritization of stent performance at the expense of strength.
4)5) Clinicians need to be aware of the potential for longitudinal injuries not only to the proximal but also to the distal end of stent-struts, particularly in complicated lesions requiring complex procedures.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to acknowledge the important contribution made by Min-Kyoung Kim, who was responsible for medical illustration.
References
1. Hanratty CG, Walsh SJ. Longitudinal compression: a “new” complication with modern coronary stent platforms--time to think beyond deliverability? EuroIntervention. 2011; 7:872–877.
2. Shannon J, Latib A, Takagi K, et al. Procedural trauma risks longitudinal shortening of the Promus Element™ stent platform. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2013; 81:810–817.
3. Ormiston JA, Webber B, Ubod B, White J, Webster MW. Stent longitudinal strength assessed using point compression: insights from a second-generation, clinically related bench test. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2014; 7:62–69.
4. Williams PD, Mamas MA, Morgan KP, et al. Longitudinal stent deformation: a retrospective analysis of frequency and mechanisms. EuroIntervention. 2012; 8:267–274.
5. Arnous S, Shakhshir N, Wiper A, et al. Incidence and mechanisms of longitudinal stent deformation associated with Biomatrix, Resolute, Element, and Xience stents: angiographic and case-by-case review of 1,800 PCIs. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2015; 86:1002–1011.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL
Supplementary Figure 1
Angiographic and procedural findings of left circumflex artery
(A, B) Pre-PCI CAG. (C) Compromised LCX ostium after deployment of a stent into the LM-LAD.