Dual wire technique for aortic coarctation stent placement

Abstract

A young adult presented for percutaneous treatment of a narrow aortic coarctation. A very large left subclavian artery originated immediately proximal to the coarctation. In order not to exclude or jail the left subclavian artery with a stent, a double wire technique was used. From a femoral approach, two guide wires were positioned, one in the aortic arch and another in the subclavian artery. A stent crimped over a 16-mm balloon and a 4-Fr catheter was advanced over the two wires within a 14-Fr long introducer sheath. The stent was successfully deployed and molded within the bifurcation by a kissing balloon technique, relieving the obstruction and leaving a guaranteed passage to the subclavian artery. The double wire technique is an elegant way to deliver a stent safely across a narrowing with guaranteed access to important side branches.