Bend but Don’t Break? A Case of Supera Stent Fracture in the Popliteal Artery

Peripheral arterial stent fracture is a known complication of peripheral intervention and is associated with increased risk of in-stent restenosis and re-occlusion of the target vessel [1,2]. While reported rates of stent fracture have varied widely overall [1], stent location has been implicated as a risk factor for fracture. Stent deployment in one such location, the femoropopliteal segment, has been associated with elevated rates of stent fracture [2]. The Supera peripheral stent (Abbott Vascular, Tamecula) has a novel, interwoven nitinol platform that was designed to have longitudinal and axial flexibility to specifically withstand the torsional and compressive forces encountered in the femoropopliteal anatomy. With 1,100 reported implantations across 7 registries, there have been no reported fractures at 1 year follow-up [3]. Thus, the Supera remains the only peripheral stent indicated for popliteal arterial lesions, due to its ability to withstand the torsion behind the knee. However, the data supporting its use is observational alone, with the majority only completing 1 year of follow-up [3]. In this case, we describe the first report of a Supera peripheral stent fracture.