Transcatheter retrieval of a cardiac-embolized venous stent using endoscopic grasping forceps: A minimally invasive strategy to alleviate tricuspid regurgitation and avoid sternotomy via translocation to the iliac vein. A case report.

For patients with arteriovenous fistulas, venous stent placement is indicated when angioplasty fails to alleviate hemodialysis access stenosis. Stent migration from the peripheral vasculature into the cardiac chambers, though rare, constitutes a serious complication. We report the case of an early 70s Chinese male with hemodynamically significant venous stenosis compromising dialysis access, who underwent venous stent implantation. Two weeks later, during readmission for a fracture, transthoracic echocardiography incidentally revealed cardiac embolization of the stent. Using endovascular techniques, the stent was successfully retrieved from the heart and translocated to the left common iliac vein. Follow-up echocardiography 1 week postprocedure demonstrated no worsening of cardiac function or tricuspid regurgitation. This case illustrates that endovascular retrieval and relocation of a cardiac-embolized venous stent is a feasible, safe, and minimally invasive strategy. The application of endoscopic grasping forceps to achieve transcatheter stent translocation to the iliac vein offers a novel alternative to surgical intervention, potentially avoiding the need for sternotomy.