What is stenting?

Coronary stenting is a minimally invasive intervention that allows restoring the patency of narrowed coronary vessels due to the atherosclerotic process. To do this, the doctor installs special implants - coronary stents - in the affected areas of the coronary vessels.

A stent is a special frame that is placed in the lumen of hollow vessels and provides expansion of the vessel section. Stenting does not require a chest incision, it can be performed immediately after coronary angiography as part of the same procedure.

What are the types of stents?

Modern stents are a frame made of a high-tech alloy coated with a special drug substance that prolongs the life of the coronary stent.

Coronary stents remain in the vessels forever. They do not need to be replaced or removed. Coronary atherosclerosis is a progressive disease. We can influence its course with the help of medications and stenting of the affected vessels, but we cannot completely stop the process. Therefore, after stenting, you will need to take medications and periodically visit a cardiologist. In the future, if a new narrowing forms inside the stent or elsewhere in the coronary artery in a few years, it can be eliminated with a new coronary stent or inflated with a coronary balloon.

You may also have heard about the existence of stents without a drug-eluting coating (uncoated stents) and bioresorbable stents. According to current guidelines, drug-eluting stents should be preferred in all cases, if possible, as they have shown better long-term results (i.e., they “work” longer than their uncoated counterparts). As for bioresorbable stents, their use in the world is currently suspended.

Which is better: stenting or coronary artery bypass grafting? What is the difference?

Coronary artery stenting and coronary artery bypass grafting are methods used to treat coronary artery atherosclerosis.

During stenting, the doctor restores blood flow through a narrowed or completely closed section of the artery using a coronary stent. This procedure is non-traumatic, does not require general anesthesia, a chest incision, and long-term rehabilitation.

Coronary artery bypass grafting is an operation that involves the creation of a new blood supply path to certain parts of the heart muscle by applying a coronary artery bypass graft. This operation is performed under anesthesia, requires a chest incision, and a longer or shorter rehabilitation period.

Which of the methods is preferable for a particular patient can be determined by the results of coronary angiography - it depends on the number of affected arteries and the location of the narrowings.

Is the stenting procedure safe? Does it hurt?

In the center of cardiac surgery of the Dobrobut medical chain, stenting is performed by experienced specialists, the operating room has all the necessary equipment, and the anesthesiologist takes care of the patient's comfort.

Pain during stenting is minimal, the procedure is performed under local anesthesia.

How long do I have to stay in the hospital? When will I be able to return to work?

Stenting does not require special rehabilitation. The patient is allowed to stand up 1-2 hours after the procedure, and most of our patients go home on the day of the procedure or the next day.

In most cases, patients can return to work and their normal routine 2-3 days after the procedure. If your job involves significant physical activity, it may take a little longer.

If you have additional questions, please call our contact center.