Hospital | |
Coronary Stenting
by
Amy Scholten, MPH DefinitionCoronary stenting is a way to open a blocked artery in the heart. During an angioplasty, a mesh, metal tube is placed in the artery. The tube is called a stent. There are 2 types:
Reasons for ProcedureCoronary stenting is to restore proper blood flow to the heart. It may help reduce chest pain. Activities may become easier. Possible ComplicationsProblems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:
Things that may raise the risk of problems are:
What to ExpectPrior to ProcedureThe care team may meet with you to talk about:
AnesthesiaThe doctor will give a local anesthetic—the insertion site will be numbed. Medicine will help you relax. Description of ProcedureA needle is placed into a blood vessel in the groin or arm. A wire is passed through the needle and into the blood vessel. The wire is then threaded to the blockage. A soft, flexible tube is slipped over the wire and threaded up to this point. The doctor uses x-rays to see where the wire and tube are. Contrast dye is injected through the tube and into the arteries of the heart. This makes the blockage easier to see There is a small balloon at the tip of the tube. It will be quickly inflated and deflated. This will stretch the blocked artery open. A flattened stent will be placed in the artery. The balloon is inflated again to open the stent to its full size. The stent will remain in place to hold the vessel walls open. The balloon, catheter, and wire will then be removed. A bandage will be placed over the site. How Long Will It Take?30 minutes to 3 hours Will It Hurt?There may be some discomfort when:
Average Hospital Stay0 to 2 days Post-procedure CareAt HomeRecovery may take a few days to a week. A heart healthy diet and other lifestyle changes may be advised. Call Your DoctorCall your doctor if you are not getting better or you have:
Call for Medical Help Right Away If Any of the Following OccurCall for medical help right away for:
If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away. RESOURCES:American Heart Association http://www.heart.org National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov CANADIAN RESOURCES:Canadian Cardiovascular Society http://www.ccs.ca Heart and Stroke Foundation http://www.heartandstroke.ca References:Angioplasty and stent placement for the heart. Johns Hopkins Medicine website. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/angioplasty-and-stent-placement-for-the-heart. Accessed August 31, 2021. McKavanagh P, Zawadowski G, et al. The evolution of coronary stents. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2018;16(3):219-228.
Revascularization for coronary artery disease (CAD). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:
https://www.dynamed.com/management/revascularization-for-coronary-artery-disease-cad. Accessed August 31, 2021.
Stenting during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:
https://www.dynamed.com/procedure/stenting-during-percutaneous-coronary-intervention-pci. Accessed August 31, 2021.
Stents. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/stents. Accessed August 31, 2021. Last reviewed July 2021 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Nicole Meregian, PA Last Updated: 8/31/2021 | |