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Late stent thrombosis after paclitaxel-eluting stent placement in a patient with essential thrombocytosis
Telat Keleş1, Nihal Akar Bayram, Tahir Durmaz
1Department of Cardiology, Ankara Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara.
Insights
Essential thrombocythemia increases the risk of late stent thrombosis after drug-eluting stent placement. Patients with this condition may not be suitable candidates for drug-eluting stents due to this risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hematology
Background:
- Drug-eluting stents (DES) are commonly used to treat coronary artery disease.
- Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by elevated platelet counts.
Observation:
- A 51-year-old male with ET presented with acute chest pain three months after paclitaxel-eluting stent placement.
- He was on dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel).
- Coronary angiography revealed total occlusion at the stented site.
Findings:
- The patient experienced late stent thrombosis, a rare but serious complication.
- Successful balloon angioplasty restored coronary blood flow.
- The patient's platelet count normalized post-procedure.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential contraindication of DES in patients with ET.
- Careful patient selection and risk stratification are crucial for DES implantation.
- Alternative treatment strategies may be warranted for ET patients with coronary artery disease.
Abstract:
We report on a case of late stent thrombosis after drug-eluting stent placement in a patient with essential thrombocytosis. A 51-year-old male patient with a three-month history of paclitaxel-eluting stent placement to the left anterior descending artery presented with a complaint of severe retrosternal chest pain. A high platelet count (1,063,000/mm3) was detected two months prior to presentation, which was interpreted as essential thrombocytosis. He was on standard dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel). The electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in leads V1-V6. Emergent coronary angiography revealed thrombotic total occlusion at the location of the paclitaxel-eluting stent. Balloon angioplasty was performed yielding a satisfactory result and TIMI 3 flow. Following the procedure, there was no chest pain. His platelet count was 388,000/mm3. He was discharged on medical therapy following an uneventful hospital course. Patients with essential thrombocytosis may not be eligible for drug-eluting stent placement.
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