Coronary stent fracture: how frequent it is? Does it matter?

D rug-eluting stents (DES) have dramatically reduced in-stent restenosis compared to bare metal stents (BMS). However, the occurrence of late complications such as stent thrombosis has raised concern over DES use. In addition, there has been increasing awareness of stent fracture (SF) as a potential complication following DES implantation. SF is recognized as one of the contributors to in-stent restenosis and possibly stent thrombosis. Thus, in the DES era, coronary SF is one of the most intriguing issues. The objective of this article is to analyze controversial issues that concern the incidence and clinical implications of SF.