Placing the stent
- Article
- 2021-02-01
Also known as coronary stent, carotid stent, airway stent. A stent is a small-mesh tube that holds open passageways in the body, such as weak or narrow arteries. Stents are often used to treat narrowed coronary arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the heart. The stent keeps the narrowed arteries open to allow enough blood to flow to the heart. Stents are also sometimes used to treat the aorta if it has an aneurysm or bulge. The aorta carries blood from the left side of the heart to the body. Stents can also be used in the carotid arteries in the neck to prevent or treat stroke, or sometimes to treat narrowed airways in the lungs. Stenting is a minimally invasive procedure. Stents can be made of metal mesh, fabric, silicone, or combinations of materials. Stents used for coronary arteries have a metal mesh base. Fabric stents, also called stent grafts, are used in larger arteries such as the aorta. Stents used in the airways of the lungs are often made of silicone. You may need certain medications, such as aspirin and other platelet aggregation inhibitors, for a year or more after getting a stent in your artery to prevent serious complications such as blood clots. The most common complication after a stent procedure is a blockage or blood clot in the stent. Complications of airway stent placement include the stent being out of place or becoming blocked.
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