Where is the stent? CTA assists angiography: A case of jailed LAD

Stent malpositioning in the septal perforator is a serious procedural complication and especially prominent after main vessel stenting in coronary bifurcation lesions. This case report demonstrates Computed Tomography Angiography's (CTA) role as a backup imaging tool, in cases where follow-up Coronary Angiogram (CAG) cannot be immediately completed. CTA also functions as a preferred imaging tool to follow up after stenting and assess for stent malpositioning. A 72-year-old female with history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia presented with dyspnea and was found to have STEMI. About a week after her three PCI's to the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) artery, she returned to the hospital with recurrent dyspnea and V-Tach. Instead of completing a repeat catheterization, a noninvasive CTA was thought to be the next test. CTA imaging indicates that the failed stenting of the side-branch resulted in a jailed main vessel, which may induce ischemia and ventricular tachycardia (V-Tach). After the malpositioned stent finding on CTA, the patient was then referred to the Cath Lab for angiogram. CTA thus provided detailed anatomical information about the stent's placement, which will greatly assist further management by the interventional cardiologist.