• J D Taylor, E D Lehmann, A-M Belli, A A Nicholson, D Kessel, I R Robertson, J G Pollock, and R A Morgan.
• Department of Radiology, St. George's Hospital, Blackshaw Road, London SW17 0QT, UK. drjeremytaylor@yahoo.co.uk
• Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2007 Sep 1; 30 (5): 1003-9.

PurposeStent migration into the right atrium is a potentially fatal complication of stenting in the venous system and is most likely to occur during the treatment of superior vena cava obstruction. Endovascular approaches that can salvage this hazardous situation are described and the keys to successful treatment are highlighted.Materials And MethodsFour different strategies are reviewed: (1) snaring the stent directly, (2) angioplasty balloon-assisted snaring of the stent, (3) guide wire-assisted snaring of the stent, and (4) superior vena cava-to-inferior vena cava bridging stent.ResultsThese techniques have been employed in the successful management of four cases. No short- or long-term complications as a result of these maneuvers have been identified. Additional treatment of the underlying disease was possible at the same time in each case.ConclusionWe conclude that prompt management of right atrial stent migration is essential and can be successfully achieved by a variety of "bale-out" techniques which are within the technical range of most interventional radiologists.

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