Transesophageal echocardiography assisted retrieval of embolized inferior vena cava stent

Abstract

A 32-year-old male with Budd-Chiari syndrome and stenosis of the inferior vena cava presented to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. Two contiguous, 14 mm, overlapping (joined) Palmaz stents were placed across the area of stenosis in the inferior vena cava. The stents later embolized to the left pulmonary artery and were retrieved non-surgically over a Grollman balloon catheter with transesophageal echocardiographic assistance. This case report highlights the advantages and limitations of transesophageal echocardiographic assistance in such a procedure.

Percutaneous Techniques for Managing Maldeployed or Migrated Stents

“…On the other hand, partially or fully expanded Palmaz stents pose more of a problem. In such cases, it is more sensible to attempt repositioning the stent with the balloon catheter technique, [17][18][19] which is feasible in both completely and partially expanded Palmaz stents.…”

Transcatheter retrieval of an embolized Palmaz stent from the right ventricle of a child

“…Specifically, a balloon dilation catheter was inflated to "reload" the stent, and the entire stent-loaded catheter was withdrawn through the right heart to be reimplanted in the inferior vena cava [5] or to be removed through a large jugular venous sheath [6].…”