Stents

Overview

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A coronary stent is a mesh wire tube that cardiac surgeons implant in a patient’s coronary artery during a balloon angioplasty procedure. The purpose of the stent is to hold the artery open, allowing for improved blood flow. Patients suffering from blockages or lesions in coronary arteries, also known as coronary artery disease, are candidates for coronary stents. Coronary stents are a routine adjunct to angioplasty; in 1998 physicians implanted over 500,000 coronary stents in patients in the United States.

Detailed Description

Copyright 2007 David DiAngelis

During the procedure, the physician inserts the stent into the artery by using a balloon catheter. After insertion, he inflates the balloon at the end of the catheter. By inflating the balloon, he causes the stent to expand, by pushing it up against the walls of the artery. Once the stent is in place, the physician deflates the balloon, and removes it from the artery. The stent remains in the artery, holding the vessel open and allowing for a healthy flow of blood. More than one stent may be necessary to avoid closure of the artery. After a couple of weeks tissue forms around the stent and it becomes a permanent support – or scaffold – for the artery.

Last updated: 14-Aug-07