Overview of Stent Placement

Stent Placement is a treatment for narrowed or blocked arteries and veins in patients with coronary artery disease (heart attack, angina), peripheral artery disease, and carotid artery disease.

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 to compress and cut away plaque buildup in the artery. Sometimes the stent can be placed during an initial balloon angioplasty.

Stents can be placed in the coronary arteries (of the heart), carotid arteries (of the neck), and other peripheral arteries (legs and arms).

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How stent placement works:

The doctor positions the balloon catheter with stent. Then she expands the balloon. Finally the doctor deflates the balloon and withdraws the catheter. The stent remains behind to hold open the artery and help maintain good blood flow.

Patient Instructions

Learn what happens (and what you need to do) before, during, and after this procedure:


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