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Published on: April 13, 2018
Bilateral common iliac vein stent migration
Andrew Waack1, Sarah Jaggernauth1, Shikha Sharma2
1University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo, OH 43614, USA.
Insights
Venous stent migration, a rare complication, is likely more common than believed. Physicians should consider migrated iliac vein stents in the heart as a potential diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Venous stent placement is a common procedure for treating venous occlusive disease.
- Stent migration to the heart is a recognized but infrequently reported complication.
- Current diagnostic considerations often overlook this potential adverse event.
Observation:
- A case of bilateral iliac vein stent migration into the right ventricular outflow tract and right interlobar pulmonary artery is presented.
- Multiple imaging modalities were utilized to visualize the migrated stents.
- The migration pathway highlights potential risks associated with iliac vein stenting.
Findings:
- The migrated stents were located in critical cardiovascular and pulmonary locations.
- Imaging confirmed the extent and position of the misplaced stents.
- This case underscores the possibility of significant stent displacement.
Implications:
- Radiologists and clinicians should increase awareness of venous stent migration.
- Consideration of stent migration in the differential diagnosis is crucial for timely intervention.
- Recognizing this complication can prevent delayed diagnosis and improve patient outcomes in venous interventions.
Abstract:
Venous stent migration to the heart is considered to be a rare complication of a common procedure. Therefore, many physicians do not include this complication in their differential diagnosis. We explain why this complication is likely more common than currently thought and why it should be considered as a potential diagnosis. This case describes migration of bilateral iliac vein stents into the right ventricular outflow tract and right interlobar pulmonary artery. We provide multiple imaging modalities demonstrating the migrated stents. We believe radiologists should be cognizant of this complication and consider it as a potential diagnosis. Hopefully, this will create a greater awareness of this life-threatening complication of venous stent placement.
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