[Evaluation of the late stent malposition after drug-eluting stent implantation by optical coherence tomography].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the characteristic of late stent malposition after drug-eluting stent implantation by optical coherence tomography (OCT).


METHODS
The study comprised of 32 patients (target vessels: 51, total stents: 71) underwent drug eluting stent implantation one year ago [average (14.8 +/- 5.2) months]. OCT images of the stent were analyzed at interval of 0.5 mm. The stent malposition was detected, the thickness of intima and gap between the stent strut and vessel wall were measured.


RESULTS
Stent malposition was detected in 7 patients without clinical cardiac events, including positive remodeling (n = 4), overlapping stents (n = 1) and stent struts covered with thrombus (n = 2). Stent strut apposition with complete intima coverage was about 97.6%, stent struts malposition was 2.4% including half of struts located at the ostium of side branch. The intima coverage of stent struts is similar between the struts at the side branch and others [(0.06 +/- 0.05) mm vs. (0.05 +/- 0.03) mm, P > 0.05].


CONCLUSIONS
The causes of late stent malposition include the primary malposition after stent implantation, positive remodeling, overlapping stents and stent struts located at the ostium of side branch. Thinner intima coverage was also observed on the stent struts with malposition.
Tian
Feng
F
Department of Cardiovascular, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Chen
Yun-dai
YD
Sun
Zhi-jun
ZJ
Chen
Lian
L
Liu
Hong-bin
HB
Yang
Ting-shu
TS
Liu
Chang-fu
CF
Jin
Qin-hua
QH
Bai
Qi-cai
QC
D000368:Aged; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D017211:Treatment Failure