Abstract

Late (more than six months) total occlusion after coronary stenting is a progressive phenomenon occurring in approximately 4% of patients, leading to acute myocardial infarction in less than 0.5%. The process must be related to severe and progressive intimal hyperplasia. In patients receiving coronary stenting with simultaneous brachytherapy, late total occlusion has been reported at a higher rate and to be related to stent thrombosis rather than intimal hyperplasia. Late total occlusion presenting with an acute clinical event seven months after the implantation of a paclitaxel drug eluting stent is reported. The occlusion developed soon after the interruption of ticlopidine treatment, suggesting that the event had a thrombotic genesis and that the risk is not confined to the first six month period.