Iliac artery injury following placement of the memotherm arterial stent.

Iliac rupture and aneurysm formation at the site of stent placement has rarely been described in the literature. We report four cases, three of iliac rupture, including a delayed rupture, and an aneurysm, with the use of a single type of stent, the Memotherm stent. We believe the design of the stent significantly contributed to damage to the arterial wall and subsequently prevented closure of the arterial tear by balloon tamponade in the two cases where this was attempted. Two patients, one with rupture and one with an aneurysm, were successfully treated with a covered stent obviating surgery and two ruptures resulted in death. We recommend that all interventionists carrying out iliac angioplasty and/or stenting should have access to covered stents for such emergencies.