Treatment of longitudinal stent compression under intravenous ultrasound guidance

RATIONALE Longitudinal stent compression is a rare phenomenon, which has been increasingly reported in recent years. PATIENT CONCERNS Following 2 stents implanted into the middle and proximal segments of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, longitudinal stent compression occurred when a post-dilation balloon was introduced into the proximal stent opening. DIAGNOSE The intravenous ultrasound (IVUS) examination revealed overlapping at the opening of the proximal stent and poor stent adherence. INTERVENTIONS Another balloon was carefully inserted into the opening for post-dilation, followed by angiography and IVUS examination. OUTCOMES The IVUS examination indicated that the overlapping at the opening of the proximal stent was improved and the stents were well adhered. LESSONS Such compression may be prevented by gentle and careful balloon maneuverability and improved with the use of additional balloon angioplasty or stent implantation.