Heart stents work by physically propping open a blocked artery, ensuring proper blood flow to the heart.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Heart stents, particularly intraluminal coronary artery stents, are small, self-expanding, metal mesh-like tubes. These tubes are crucial in treating narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart. The process involves the following key steps:
- Delivery: A deflated stent is mounted on a balloon catheter. This catheter is then guided through a blood vessel to the site of the blockage in the coronary artery.
- Deployment: Once in position, the balloon is inflated. This expansion forces the stent to expand against the artery walls, effectively opening the blocked vessel.
- Support: The balloon is deflated and removed, leaving the stent in place. The stent acts as a scaffold, holding the artery open and allowing blood to flow freely. This prevents the artery from re-closing.
- Medication (in some cases): Some stents are coated with medication. This medicine is slowly released over time to further prevent the artery from narrowing again (restenosis).
Here's a table summarizing how stents work:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Delivery | Stent (on a balloon catheter) is guided to the blockage. |
| Deployment | Balloon is inflated, expanding the stent against the artery wall. |
| Support | Balloon is deflated and removed, leaving the stent to hold the artery open. |
| Medication | Some stents release medication to prevent re-narrowing of the artery. |
In essence, a heart stent provides a physical support structure to keep a coronary artery open, improving blood flow and reducing the risk of heart attack or other cardiac events. The use of drug-eluting stents provides an additional layer of protection against the artery re-closing, improving long-term outcomes.
