Sirolimus-eluting stent fracture detection by three-dimensional optical coherence tomography

Stent fracture has emerged as a complication of drug-eluting stent and is now recognized as contributing to in-stent restenosis and possibly stent thrombosis. Although optical coherence tomography (OCT) can detect stent fractures in the absence of circumference struts, it is challenging to visualize stent fractures with only cross-sectional OCT images. We describe two cases of restenosis with stent fracture detected by a novel three-dimensional OCT image reconstruction technique. This technique allows identification of a single stent fracture even in the absence of angiographic signs.