What Is a Stent?
Reviewed: Dr. Mera
2. Uses of a Stent
Stents can be used when a blood vessel is blocked by a plaque made of cholesterol and other substances that attaches to the vessel walls. This can be performed when the coronary artery is blocked to keep the vessel open. For example, during an emergency procedure for coronary artery blockage, a catheter is placed in the artery.
A balloon angioplasty is then performed to open the blockage and stent placed to keep it open. To prevent aneurysms from rupturing, a stent can also be placed. Stents can also be used to maintain the passageways in bronchi (small airways in the lungs), bile ducts (to maintain bile flow), and ureters (to carry urine from kidneys to the bladder).
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