Endovascular retrieval of two migrated venous stents by means of balloon catheters.

The usefulness of vascular stenting was demonstrated in both arterial and venous applications to restore patency and improve suboptimal results after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Dislodgment of venous stents with an embolization into the right cavities or the pulmonary artery, however, is one of the most feared complications of this procedure. Percutaneous removal of these migrated stents is an appealing method of replacing more invasive operative intervention with cardiopulmonary bypass, which may be very hazardous in these often severely ill patients.