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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Monitoring the Wall Mechanics During Stent Deployment in a Vessel
Published on: May 8, 2012
Major stent deformation/pseudofracture of 7 Crown Endeavor/Micro Driver stent platform: incidence and causative
Mark Pitney1, Kate Pitney, Nigel Jepson
1Eastern Heart Clinic, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia. mark.pitney@ehc.com.au
Aims:
This is the initial report of stent deformation/pseudofracture of the 7 crown Endeavor/Micro Driver stent platform (2.25-2.75 mm), whereby the post-dilation balloon catches and causes major stent deformation angiographically appearing as a large stent fracture. We sought to determine frequency and cause.
Methods And Results:
Analysis of 1,000 consecutive Endeavor/Micro Driver stents (7 crown) deployed at our institution. Bench testing was also performed by deploying 10 stents in 2.5 mm tubing and then attempting re-crossing with non-compliant balloons.
Clinical Results:
There were 14 cases of major stent deformation/pseudofracture representing an incidence of 1.4% or 1.8% of 775 stents that were post-dilated. Of the 14 deformed stents, re-stenting was required in nine and MACE occurred in five (36%.). Benchtop results: Balloon "catch" was reproducible at an initial frequency of 9% and affected three of the 10 stents. With the use of provocative measures stent deformation occurred in 50% of test stents.
Conclusions:
Stent deformation/pseudofracture of the 7 crown Endeavor/Micro Driver platform occurred in 1.8% of cases that were post-dilated. Of these, 36% experience MACE. Deformation can be reproduced on the benchtop. Operators should be aware of the complication, and develop strategies to deal with it.
