Simultaneous occlusion of left anterior descending and left circumflex arteries by very late stent thrombosis: vascular response to drug-eluting stents assessed by intravascular ultrasound

Heart Vessels. 2015 Nov;30(6):824-9. doi: 10.1007/s00380-014-0545-0. Epub 2014 Jul 17.

Abstract

Very late stent thrombosis (VLST) is a catastrophic complication after implantation of a drug-eluting stent (DES). It has been reported that VLST is associated with pathological changes, which often include late acquired incomplete stent apposition (LAISA) with thrombus formation. In addition, the vascular response to the stent (evaginations, neointimal growth, and thrombosis) and the incidence of LAISA are reported to vary among the different types of DES. We experienced a patient with cardiogenic shock induced by simultaneous VLST of both the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the left circumflex artery (LCX) at 3 years after implantation of two sirolimus-eluting stents. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) showed LAISA of both arteries. A paclitaxel-eluting stent, which had been implanted in the right coronary artery 3 years earlier, did not show such a finding. IVUS revealed "different vascular reactions" to "different types of DES" in this patient.

Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction; Drug-eluting stent; Intravascular ultrasound; Very late stent thrombosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronary Thrombosis / etiology
  • Coronary Vessels / diagnostic imaging*
  • Drug-Eluting Stents / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Paclitaxel / therapeutic use
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnostic imaging*
  • Shock, Cardiogenic / etiology*
  • Sirolimus / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ultrasonography, Interventional

Substances

  • Paclitaxel
  • Sirolimus