Percutaneous treatment of stent-graft (viabahn) thrombosis employing a second stent-graft.

Acute thrombosis is the most common mode of stent-graft failure. Thrombectomy and thrombolysis have inadequate medium-term and long-term results. We propose a new technique for treating acute stent-graft thrombosis by "relining" the thrombosed graft with a second stent-graft. Ten patients were treated with this technique and have been free of any repeat intervention for up to 1 year, showing its feasibility. The Viabahn-in-Viabahn technique needs a larger study to confirm its efficacy and safety.