Stent Placement
Heart & Vascular Institute
(801) 387-3000 Definition
A stent is a small metal coil or tube that is placed in a narrowed artery to hold it open. To place the stent, your healthcare provider first performs angioplasty or atherectomy to compress or cut away plaque buildup in the artery. Sometimes the stent can be placed during an initial balloon angioplasty.