Interlocking Stents for Improving Stent Fixation at Graft–Venous Anastomosis

Abstract

To lower the risk of stent migration in a graft–venous anastomosis stenosis following failed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, two Strecker stents of different caliber were placed in partly overlapping fashion across the stenosis. In contrast to other methods, stent ``floating'' on the venous side was eliminated by using a stent with a caliber matching the tapering postanastomotic vein and anchoring it to both the venous wall and the second stent. Using this method we believe we accomplished better fixation of the stent placed mostly in the venous side of the anastomosis, thus lowering its risk of migration. At 6 months follow-up the stents are in place and the anastomosis is patent.