Late Presentation of Right Coronary Artery Stent Infection as Left Empyema and Pleuropericardial Fistula

Abstract

Coronary stent infection (CSI) is a rare but potentially life-threatening disease, the incidence of which has been on a rise over the past 2 decades. Surgery seems the treatment of choice, providing a definitive diagnosis of CSI and removing the source of infection, repairing aneurysms, and providing bypass vascular grafts if feasible. Thorough evaluation and a multidisciplinary approach lead to detection and a better outcome. We report a patient who presented with symptoms of heart failure and shock, who received a diagnosis of CSI complicated by empyema with pleuropericardial fistula. He was treated by stent removal and decortication. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)

Keywords

• coronary stent infection
• empyema
• pleuropericardial fistula
• right coronary artery stent