title: Late-acquired incomplete stent apposition: morphologic characterization.
abstract: Incomplete stent apposition (ISA) is a lack of contact between stents and the underlying vessel wall, best described by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Late acquired incomplete apposition, defined as complete stent apposition at the time of procedure but ISA at follow-up, is an unusual IVUS finding reported in intracoronary brachytherapy, bare-metal stent (BMS), and drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Late-acquired ISA is observed relatively more frequently with DES implantation compared with BMS implantation. Possible mechanisms of this phenomenon include focal/extensive vascular remodeling and dissolution of thrombus. While there are conflicting reports regarding the possible impact of this IVUS finding on clinical outcomes, recent reports of DES have suggested its possible association with late adverse cardiac events including late stent thrombosis. In this paper, we review the incidence, location, underlying pathology, and possible clinical sequelae of late-acquired ISA, primarily focusing on that of DES.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cardiovascular Technology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305-5637, USA.
authors.forename: Seung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ako
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Krishnankutty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sudhir
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000818:Animals; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
chemical_list: D008670:Metals