Stent Thrombosis: Historical Perspectives and Current Trends

Coronary stents are now implanted in more than 70% of percutaneous coronary revascularization procedures. Early enthusiasm for improved acute angiographic results and limited restenosis was dampened initially by a high rate of stent thrombosis and later by the increased bleeding complications of aggressive and complex anticoagulation protocols designed to lower the stent thrombosis risk. More recently, routine high-pressure deployment strategies and anti-platelet drug regimens have lowered the incidence of stent thrombosis to approximately 1% without an increased bleeding risk. The timing of stent thrombosis has also changed from a median of 4–5 days to a median of 1 day after the stent procedure. Risk factors in earlier studies included stenting for threatened or abrupt closure, smaller vessels, longer lesions, and possibly left anterior descending artery lesion location. Modern studies have shown a slightly increased risk for multiple stent use, residual dissection, and smaller final lumen. Optimal therapy for stent thrombosis includes emergent revascularization and anti-thrombotic treatment, although the clinical consequences remain dire despite successful reperfusion. The use of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, especially in high-risk situations may further reduce the incidence of stent thrombosis.