Renal Artery Stent Placement Complicated by Development of a Type B Aortic Dissection

Percutaneous renal artery angioplasty and stent placement have demonstrated safety and effectiveness in the treatment of selected patients with renovascular hypertension and ischemic nephropathy. Major complications have been predominantly confined to the affected renal artery and kidneys, including renal artery dissection and/or thrombosis, distal embolization, and contrast-related nephropathy. We report a case in which treatment of an ostial renal artery lesion with placement of a balloon-expandable stent was complicated by the development of an acute Type B aortic dissection.