Late stent collapse identified with OCT – An underdiagnosed mechanism of restenosis?

Very late stent recoil is a rare albeit recognized phenomenon leading to subsequent in-stent restenosis. Angiography alone may not be adequate in making the diagnosis, and intravascular imaging with optical coherence tomography (OCT) is far superior in confirming the diagnosis and guiding subsequent management. We describe a case with interesting coronary angiogram and OCT images demonstrating very rare diagnosis of the late stent collapse. These images provide a valuable insight into a novel mechanism responsible for late target lesion failure. These images highlight the importance of modern intra-coronary imaging techniques in understanding the mechanisms underlying target-lesion failure, and guiding appropriate management.