- 25/August/2019
Heart Stent Procedure - Ananthapuri Hospitals, Trivandrum
A stent is a tiny mesh tube that is placed into a narrowed or blocked coronary artery. On placing it, a segment of the artery that was previously blocked becomes enlarged and the blood flow improves. When the blood flow improves, the chances of a heart attack reduces. This procedure saves millions of lives every year! Know more about it!
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A cardiac stent procedure relieves symptoms such as chest pain, tightness, shortness of breath and so on, caused due to blocked or narrowed arteries. Most angioplasty procedures done to restore blood flow through the artery, are done using stents. Nowadays, we use stents coated with medication to prevent the stent from clogging and narrowing. These type of stents are called drug-eluting stents.
What happens during a stent procedure?
During this procedure, the doctor inserts a stent with a balloon catheter into the blocked artery. The balloon is inflated and the blockage is opened. After this, the stent expands and locks in place to keep the artery open.
When do you need a heart stent?
Depending on the size of the artery, severity and the location of the blockage, your doctor decides if you need stent placement or another procedure. In the case of diabetic patients with multiple blocked arteries, coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is done.
Also, angioplasty with stenting can quickly open the artery and is the best approach during a heart attack. Therefore, in emergency situations, when it is necessary to rapidly open the blocked coronary artery, a stent procedure can be life-saving.
What are the advantages of using a stent?
- Stent procedure decreases the risk of heart attacks and increases the life span
- Stents prevent restenosis, the recurrence of abnormal narrowing of an artery or valve after corrective surgery
- Patients who undergo angioplasty with stents recover faster than those who undergo CABG
- Patients who undergo angioplasty with stent experience less discomfort
What will I need to do after the procedure?
The doctor will prescribe medications for you. You will have to take them as long as you are required to. Stopping it on your own leads to an increase in the risk of clot formation in the stent, particularly in the first few months of the procedure. If arteries reclose even after the stent placement, you may need to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery.
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Cardiovascular Centre at Ananthapuri Hospitals & Research Institute has state of the art technology to diagnose and treat patients with diverse types of cardiac problems and is equipped with gadgets capable of performing complex interventions.
To book an appointment, call us at +91 9400332777 or visit our hospital at Chacka, NH Bypass, Thiruvananthapuram.