SUCCESSFUL REDEPLOYMENT OF AN UNEXPANDED CORONARY STENT

We report on treatment of a patient in whom failure to deploy the dist al portion of a Palmaz-Schatz stent occurred but was not recognized, A fter an unstable course, the patient underwent repeat coronary angiogr aphy, at which time the stent was rewired and redilated. Full deployme nt of the stent with restoration of TIMI grade 3 flow was achieved. Th e putative cause of the problem, incomplete deployment of the stent be cause of inadvertent advancement of the stent delivery sheath, should be avoided, and needs to be recognized if it occurs. Crossing and redi lating the stent is possible, although technically difficult. (C) 1998 Wiley Liss, Inc.