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Stent

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

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.

Other types of stents are listed below.

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

Risks of stents and stent placement may include:

  • 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: 8/8/2008
Reviewed By: Charlotte Grayson, MD, Private Practice specializing in Internal Medicine, Smyrna, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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