A heart stent, also known as a coronary stent, is a small mesh tube used to treat narrowed or blocked arteries in the heart. These blockages typically occur due to a condition called coronary artery disease (CAD), which is caused by the buildup of plaque (atherosclerosis) on the artery walls.
The placement of a stent is often done during a procedure called coronary angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). During this procedure:
A thin, flexible tube called a catheter with a deflated balloon on its tip is inserted into a blood vessel, usually in the groin or wrist, and guided to the blocked coronary artery.
Once the catheter is in place, the balloon is inflated to compress the plaque against the artery walls, widening the artery and restoring blood flow.
After the artery is widened, a stent, which is mounted on the deflated balloon, is inserted into the narrowed portion of the artery.
When the balloon is inflated again, the stent expands and presses against the artery walls, holding them open.
The balloon is then deflated and removed, leaving the stent in place to keep the artery open.
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