Aiming for the Bottom Corner: How to Score a Field Goal When Landing Venous Stents in May–Thurner Syndrome

Purpose To report an iliac venous stent landing technique using only fluoroscopy in patients with May-Thurner syndrome (MTS). Material and Methods Sixty-five patients (69% female) who had self-expanding nitinol stents deployed for symptomatic MTS were retrospectively analyzed. Mean age was 50 years (range 18–80). The cephalic stent right lower corner was deployed to the right of the lumbar vertebra spinous process (SP), but not as far to the right as the right pedicle lateral border. Mode stent diameter and length were 14 mm (range 12–18) and 120 cm (range 60–180), determined by venography, respectively. The anatomical positions of the right common iliac artery, inferior vena cava (IVC), and stent were assessed relative to these bony landmarks on computed tomography venography. Results Position of the proximal right common iliac artery right lateral border lay a mean distance of 12 mm (±8 to the right of the SP and 13 mm (±7) left of the right pedicle lateral border. Mean position of the IVC right lateral wall lay 1 mm (±6) to the right of the right pedicle lateral border. Mean position of the cephalic stent right lower corner was 6 mm (±6) to the left of the right pedicle lateral border and 19 mm (±7) to the right of the SP. The mean space left between the cephalic stent right lower corner and the IVC right lateral wall was 5 mm (±5). Primary patency rate at 1 year was 88%. Conclusions Important vascular structures lie in predictable locations relative to bony landmarks, facilitating accurate venous stent placement using fluoroscopy only.