Case report: intracoronary stent fracture complicated with coronary abscess and fistulization into the pericardium

Stent fractures are a rare complication of angioplasties and are an unusual substrate for coronary abscesses.

A 63-year-old patient came into the emergency department for ongoing chest pain. The patient had recently undergone coronary stent implantation, 3 months prior. Computed tomography coronary angiography revealed a coronary abscess and stent fracture, with blood effraction into the pericardium. The patient underwent emergency open-heart surgery to clear the infection and perform coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Post-operative outcome was tentatively favourable. The patient suffered acute kidney injury and required haemodialysis.

Coronary stent fracture is a rare complication which can be life-threatening and which can lead to severe sequelae.