Management of Stent Thrombosis Post-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Associated Rare Complications

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Interventional Cardiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stents has advanced, yet stent thrombosis remains a critical complication.
• Despite improvements, definitive management and prevention strategies for stent thrombosis are limited.

Observation:

• Two cases of stent thrombosis are presented: subacute thrombosis of the right coronary artery complicated by pericarditis, and very late thrombosis of the left anterior descending artery.
• Both patients exhibited excellent compliance with clopidogrel antiplatelet therapy prior to the thrombotic events.

Findings:

• Switching antiplatelet therapy from clopidogrel to a potentially more potent agent, ticagrelor, was implemented in both cases.
• This therapeutic adjustment aims to mitigate the risk of recurrent stent thrombosis.

Implications:

• The findings suggest that potent antiplatelet therapy, such as ticagrelor, may be a valuable strategy for preventing stent thrombosis post-PCI.
• Further research is warranted to establish optimal antiplatelet regimens for high-risk patients undergoing PCI.