fullcortex.net

( 1998 )

Stents keep vessels open

I need to find out detailed information on coronary stents — their benefits, durability. Are they removable after a few years?

A stent is a device used to keep a tube such as an artery open by mechanical means. In the case of a coronary artery that is narrowed by hardening of the arteries (atherosclerotic plaque), a stent may be inserted following balloon dilation of the artery by a procedure known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The stent used in this circumstance looks much like a coiled spring; it’s inserted into the artery with a catheter similar to the one used to dilate the vessel (see graphic).

Stents are intended to remain in place permanently and act as a scaffold to keep the artery open. They can decrease the chance of renarrowing (re-stenosis), a fairly common problem following angioplasty.