Recanalization of an accidentally crushed coronary stent by intravascular ultrasonography catheter entrapment

Intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) imaging is a user-friendly technique widely used during coronary interventions. An 80-year-old man was admitted with chest pain, and successful percutaneous coronary intervention was performed with stent implantation. One week later, the patient complained of further chest pain. Urgent coronary angiography showed total occlusion of the middle left anterior descending artery and the aspiration of thrombi was high. IVUS imaging showed inadequate stent strut apposition and distal dissection. We attempted another stent implantation but the IVUS catheter was stuck on the 0.014 inch wire. Therefore, we tried to pass the wire across the lateral side. After the wire was successfully passaged, the sprinter balloon was passed through the crushed stent to expand it. After 4 days later, the patient was discharged with no symptoms or electrocardiographic change.