When the Shaft Breaks: Managing a Cath Lab Nightmare.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We describe the case of a 57-year-old male patient with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in cardiogenic shock. Coronary angiography revealed severe left main (LM) and triple-vessel disease, and the patient was refused for surgery due to lack of distal grafting landing zone. A shaft fracture occurred during LM percutaneous coronary intervention, leaving the fractured stent hanging in the aorta. This case highlights the successful retrieval of the fractured stent shaft using a snare technique.Key steps include coronary protection and bailout fixing with a stent in LM artery and use of snare technique to retrieve the shaft from the aorta.

Potential pitfalls

Operators should avoid pulling the system when stent entrapment occurs.

Take-home messages

SUBMITTER: Oliveira C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11830262 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature