Dubois P, Mandieau A, Dolatabadi D, Chaumont P, Gurnet P, Thiriaux J, Delcour C, Creplet J
Service de cardiologie, CHU de Charleroi, boulevard Paul-Janson 92, 6000 Charleroi, Belgique.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 2001 Nov;94(11):1180-3.
The authors report a case of migration of a Palmaz stent used for treatment of a patient with a malignant superior vena caval syndrome. Transoesophageal echocardiography showed the metallic device in the tricuspid subvalvular apparatus. Several attempts to recover the stent percutaneously failed. This case illustrates a rare but serious complication of endovascular stenting: migration of the material. Although it is often possible to reposition the stent by radiological interventional techniques, when the stent is located in the right ventricle, the procedure is more difficult and usually fails. Transoesophageal echocardiography enables accurate localisation of the material with respect to the surrounding cardiac structures, especially the tricuspid valve.