Side-by-side false and true lumen stenting for recanalization of the chronically occluded right coronary artery

Subintimal or false lumen stent deployment is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary interventions. The most balloon-induced small non-flow limiting dissections heal spontaneously and can be treated medically with close observation if distal coronary flow is not compromised. However, the complex and severe flow-limiting postprocedural dissections may result in abrupt vessel closure and thrombosis, with ensuing myocardial ischemia and necrosis, and can be treated effectively by coronary stenting. It is essential to ensure that the guide-wire is in the true lumen before placing the stent in total occlusive lesions, otherwise the stent placement will impair distal coronary flow. We present here an interesting case of successful coronary recanalization despite false lumen stenting of the proximal right coronary artery followed by true lumen stenting.