Discrepancy between stent deployment and balloon size used assessed by intravascular ultrasound

This study was designed to assess the discrepancy in stent deployment seen on intravascular ultrasound and its relation to the balloon size selected for stent delivery.

Prospective study.

The study group comprised 27 patients treated using a stent (n = 18) or stent-graft combination (n = 9). Following angiographically optimal stent deployment (< 10% residual stenosis) intravascular ultrasound was used to compare the smallest intra-stent lumen area with measurements at both stent edges and the lumen area of the proximal and distal reference sites.

In 14 of the 27 stents the intra-stent dimension was the same as the dimension of the stent edge (difference < or = +/- 10%). Of the remaining stents the intra-stent dimension was smaller (difference > 10%) than the proximal stent edge in seven stents (range 11-39%), smaller than the distal stent edge in three stents (range 11-20%) and smaller than both stent edges in three stents (range 12-37%). Both in patients treated with a stent or stent-graft combination, the resulting smallest intra-stent lumen area was smaller than the balloon size used (mean difference 32% and 42%, respectively) and smaller than the mean lumen area of the reference sites (mean difference 25% and 23%, respectively).

This intravascular ultrasound study shows a discrepancy between intra-stent lumen area, the area of the stent edges and the balloon size used.