Hepatic artery stenosis angioplasty and implantation of Wingspan neurovascular stent: A case report and discussion of stenting in tortuous vessels

Abstract

Background: Hepatic artery stenosis is a complication of orthotopic liver transplant occurring in 3.1%-7.4% of patients that can result in graft failure and need for re-transplantation. Endovascular therapy with angioplasty and stenting has been used with a high degree of technical success and good clinical outcomes, but tortuous hepatic arteries present a unique challenge for intervention. Suitable stents for this application should be maneuverable and conformable while also exerting adequate radial force to maintain a patent lumen.

Case summary: Herein we report our experience with a neurovascular Wingspan stent system in a challenging case of recurrent hepatic artery stenosis and discuss the literature of stenting in tortuous transplant hepatic arteries.

Conclusion: Wingspan neurovascular stent is self-expanding, has good conformability, and adequate radial resistance and as such it could be added to the armamentarium of interventionalists in the setting of a tortuous and stenotic transplant hepatic artery.

Keywords: Angioplasty; Case report; Endovascular; Hepatic artery stenosis; Stent; Wingspan neurointerventional stent.