Fracture of a Supera Interwoven Nitinol Stent After Treatment of Popliteal Artery Stenosis

Abstract

Purpose: To present a Supera stent fracture following treatment of popliteal artery stenosis.

Case report: A 60-year-old man previously treated with angioplasty/stenting of a popliteal artery lesion with a Supera stent presented at 8 months with in-stent occlusion that proved to be secondary to stent fracture.

Conclusion: Supera interwoven nitinol stents, despite having higher radial force and conformability than classic tube stents, are not free from fracture. Moreover, due to their peculiar structure, a break in these stents results in complete loss of integrity and consequent device collapse, thus jeopardizing endovascular recanalization and relining.

Keywords: angioplasty; in-stent restenosis; interwoven stent; nitinol stent; occlusion; peripheral artery disease; popliteal artery; stent fracture.