Complete fracture and restenosis of sirolimus-eluting stent in ostial saphenous vein graft

Although the use of a sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) have markedly reduced neointimal proliferation, in-stent restenosis still occurs in some cases. SES fracture was recently suggested as a new potential mechanism of restenosis. We described a rare case of complete SES fracture combined with significant restenosis, due to failure of drug delivery to the vessel wall, in the ostial saphenous vein graft (SVG). The curvature of the SVG during cardiac contractions with perivascular adhesion and fibrosis in the limited intra-thoracic space may induce high mechanical stresses at the ostial SVG. The cause of complete SES fracture in the present case was most likely mechanical stresses resulting from cardiac contractions.