# The Migrating Stent: A Case Report of a Patient With Circulation Issues Who Experienced Stent Migration to the Right Ventricle of the Heart

## TL;DR

This case report describes a rare instance where a stent used to treat a vein obstruction migrated to the heart, causing serious complications.

## Contribution

The paper presents a novel clinical case highlighting the rare but severe complication of stent migration to the right ventricle.

## Key findings

- An 81-year-old patient had a migrated iliofemoral stent found in the right ventricle of the heart.
- The stent migration caused severe tricuspid regurgitation and symptoms like dizziness and dyspnea.
- The case underscores the importance of proper stent sizing and monitoring to prevent such complications.

## Abstract

Over the past several decades, percutaneous venous stenting has surfaced as the forefront for addressing symptomatic venous outflow obstruction. Stent migration is a very rare, but serious life-threatening complication that can occur with the placement of iliofemoral stents. Life-threatening complications following stent migration include but are not limited to damaged valves, arrhythmias, endocarditis, tamponade, and acute heart failure. Stent failure is seldom understood, but one can attribute it to the incorrect stent and or vein sizing and or the inherent natural forces of the body during respiration. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) should be utilized for proper vein and stent sizing prior to placement and patients should be monitored more closely after the procedure. Stent retrieval can be very difficult, as the procedure must consider the location of the migrated stent and the comorbidities associated with the patient. This case report explains an 81-year-old Caucasian male who presented to the Emergency Department with dizziness and dyspnea on exertion. Upon further evaluation via transesophageal echocardiogram, he was found to have severe tricuspid regurgitation and an iliofemoral venous stent located in the right ventricle of the heart.