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Coronary artery stent	Coronary artery balloon angioplasty - series

Stent

Definition

A stent is a tiny tube placed into an artery, blood vessel, or other duct (such as one that carries urine) to hold the structure open.

Alternative Names

Drug-eluting stents; Urinary or ureteral stents; Coronary stents

Description

When a stent is placed into the body, the procedure is called stenting. There are different kinds of stents. Most are made of a metal or plastic mesh-like material. However, stent grafts are made of fabric. They are used in larger arteries.

An intraluminal coronary artery stent is a small, self-expanding, metal mesh tube that is placed inside a coronary artery after balloon angioplasty to prevent the artery from re-closing.

A drug-eluting stent is coated with a medicine that helps further prevent the arteries from re-closing. Like other coronary stents, it is left permanently in the artery.

Risks

• Allergic reaction to stent material
• Allergic reaction to the drug used in a drug-eluting stent
• Blood clot
• Clogging of the inside of the stent (in-stent restenosis)
• Rupture of the duct or vessel when the stent is inserted

Review Date: 6/1/2009
Reviewed By: Jeffrey Heit, MD, Internist with special emphasis on preventive health, fitness and nutrition, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.