angioplasty animation

A angioplasty stent is a tiny mesh tube that is left at the blockage site to help the artery stay open. Like a bridge support, it is there to prevent collapse. Along with providing immediate help by keeping the artery open, stenting has a long-term benefit because it may eliminate many of the factors that cause restenosis, including regulating the size of the arterial opening and decreasing the effects of wall thickening.

Angioplasty stents can be used in a number of ways in tandem with angioplasty procedures. A stent may be inserted during an original angioplasty to prevent possible arterial collapse and lower the chance of heart attack and/or restenosis. A stent may also be inserted during a second angioplasty, to prevent recurrent restenosis. If restenosis warrants a bypass procedure rather than angioplasty, a stent may also be inserted as part of the bypass procedure.

It is important to note that the stenting procedure is more difficult to perform than balloon angioplasty because the stent is larger and less flexible than the balloon catheter. More skill is required to insert stents than to perform balloon angioplasty. Therefore, the procedure must be performed by an experienced cardiologist, angioplasty animation.

Current Food and Drug Administration guidelines require that patients who receive stents must be placed on anti-clotting medications for several weeks until the stent is overgrown by the artery lining. This additional medication and monitoring will require an extended hospital stay, angioplasty animation.


No comments: