What is a Heart stent operation?
A heart stent operation, which is medically termed as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement, is a minimally invasive technique performed to open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. The coronary arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart’s muscles, and any obstruction in blood flow to the heart can cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or more severe conditions, such as heart attacks. A heart attack that has stood still restarts the blood flow, decreases symptoms, and reduces the risk of other serious cardiac events.
Heart stents are used to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), a condition caused by excessive buildup of plaque, which is an accumulation of cholesterol and other fatty substances inside the arteries. Over time, this plaque buildup narrows the arteries and causes a blockage in the blood flow, leading to chest pain and heart attacks. Heart stenting is then performed in this type of emergency, that is, myocardial infarction (heart attack), to quickly restore the blood flow to the heart muscle.
Heart stents are used to treat various heart-related conditions that include coronary artery disease (CAD), acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina (chest pain), prevention of restenosis, that is prevents arteries from becoming narrow again due to angioplasty, high-risk heart patients, chronic total occlusions (CTO), and peripheral artery diseases (PAD).
Types of Heart Stents
Heart Stents can be broadly classified into the following types
- Bare-metal stents (BMS), which are made of stainless steel or cobalt-chromium, provide structural support to keep the arteries open.
- Drug-eluting stents (DES) are coated with medicines that are slowly released into the artery wall to prevent the cells from proliferating. Also, significantly reduces the risk of restenosis and is commonly used in most modern stent procedures.
- Bioresorbable stents are made from materials that are gradually dissolved over time. These are known to provide temporary support and leave the arteries free of any metal.
- Specialty stents, like covered stents, are used for aneurysms or perforated arteries, and dual therapy stents are used to combine drug elution with enhanced healing properties.
| Procedure Name | Heart Stent |
|---|---|
| Type of Surgery | Minimally invasive endovascular surgery |
| Type of Anesthesia | Local anesthesia |
| Procedure Duration | Usually 1 hour, but complex cases might take a bit longer |
| Recovery Duration | 24-48 hours |
Appointment
Second Opinion
Live Chat
Call
More
