Immediate and Complete Stent Collapse in the Superficial Femoral Artery Solved by Implantation of a New Helical Nitinol Stent

Abstract

With the increasing life expectancy of our patients, the prevalence of peripheral artery disease grows, and so does the need for therapy of this disease [1]. Various therapy regimens like conservative therapy (e.g., exercise), minimally invasive procedures (e.g., percutaneous transluminal angioplasty [PTA], stent) and surgery (e.g., bypass) exist. Because of their less invasive character, and depending on the vascular lesion, interventional procedures are the firstline therapy for peripheral artery disease in many centers [2, 3]. Stenting of the femoral artery is mainly performed if the initial result of PTA is not satisfactory, or to control complications after PTA [2–4]. We report the unique complication of acute and complete stent collapse immediately after stent implantation in a highly rigid stenosis after conventional and cutting balloon angioplasty had ultimately failed.