Silent Migration of a Left Common Iliac Venous Stent to the Right Atrium: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

In the past decade, percutaneous endovenous stenting has emerged as the primary procedure for treating symptomatic venous outflow obstruction. Stent migration is a rare but serious and well-recognized complication of venous stenting. Cardiopulmonary complications following stent migration can manifest in a number of ways, including damage to the valves, arrhythmias, endocarditis, tamponade, and acute heart failure. Both extracardiac and intracardiac dislodgement of stents may be treated with catheter-directed extraction, stent redeployment, or surgical extraction. The decision on the type of procedure depends on multiple factors including the location of the stent, the size and accessibility of the stent, the symptoms, the extent of damage to the vital structures, and the overall health of the patient. We present the case of a 68year-old male who presented with tachycardia. On further evaluation and workup, he was found to have an iliac venous stent that had migrated to the right atrium.

A Late Presentation of Right Common Iliac Vein Stent Embolization to the Right Atrium: Important Management Considerations

“…Stent migration is influenced by a variety of factors including the stent size and location [4]. It is less commonly seen in upper extremity compared to iliac stents and is more commonly seen in those <60mm in length and diameter <14mm [5].…”

A rare etiology of frequent ventricular ectopy: Embolic complication of a venous iliac stent to the right ventricle

“…1 It is essential for physicians to be aware of stent migration as a potential risk for cardiovascular complications, such as in this case, which resulted in ventricular arrhythmias and valvular injury. 2 Management of stent migration should be individualized on a case-by-case basis 3,4 and includes percutaneous retrieval or open heart cardiotomy, was done in this case. Surgical retrieval is associated with high morbidity; however, appears to be the procedure of choice.…”