Multiple stent strut fracture-induced restenosis in a diffuse long lesion treated with overlapping heterogeneous drug-eluting stent

Coronary stent fracture can be a potentially serious complication to stenting leading to various complications, such as restenosis, and even occlusion. We reported multiple stent fracture of overlapping paclitaxel and sirolimus-eluting stent. Although an overwhelming majority of stent fracture was reported from sirolimus-eluting stent, our case showed that fracture of paclitaxel-eluting stent could occur by similar mechanisms as in sirolimus-eluting stent. So angiographic follow-up with intravascular ultrasound should be performed to elucidate the clinical significance of stent fracture of DES regardless of DES type. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.