What is the Difference Between Stent Thrombosis and Restenosis?

Stent thrombosis and restenosis are two different complications that can occur after the placement of a coronary stent. The main differences between them are:

Nature of the complication:

Stent thrombosis is an acute occlusion that causes an acute coronary syndrome. It is defined as a thrombotic occlusion of a coronary stent and is a major complication associated with stent placement.
Restenosis, on the other hand, is a slow and progressive process that involves the narrowing of the stent lumen due to the growth of biologically fibrous neointima around the stent, resulting in anginal symptoms.

Causes:

Stent thrombosis is caused by the formation of a blood clot within the stent, which can lead to a heart attack or other complications.
Restenosis is typically characterized by neointimal hyperplasia, which is the growth of new tissue within the stent, causing it to narrow.

Treatment:

Stent thrombosis management may involve nonpharmacotherapy, such as aspiration thrombectomy or angioplasty, and optimization of applied antiplatelet therapy.
Restenosis treatment may involve additional stent implantation, depending on the severity of the narrowing and the patient's condition.

Differential diagnosis:

When diagnosing stent thrombosis, the most common differential diagnosis is restenosis.
Intravascular imaging techniques, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), can help differentiate between the two processes.

In summary, stent thrombosis is an acute event that causes a coronary syndrome, while restenosis is a gradual, progressive process leading to stent narrowing. Although both conditions can result in adverse outcomes, their etiologies, presentations, and treatments differ.