Stent thrombosis--risk assessment and prevention.

The development and use of stents has made percutaneous coronary intervention an effective (less restenosis), safe (treatment of emergency vessel closure during balloon angioplasty), and applicable (stents were developed for lesions of tortuous anatomy and complex situations) revascularization method. These features have firmly established stenting as first-line therapy in coronary revascularization. This life-saving device carries, however, the risk of a life-threatening complication--stent thrombosis. The article summarizes the facts about the incidence, histopathology, and risk factors of bare-metal as well as drug-eluting stent thrombosis. Future directions in reducing the incidence of stent thrombosis are also outlined.