Cardiac Stent Procedures

Coronary artery disease affects millions of people in the United States and abroad. The condition is caused by a buildup of plaques that clog the arteries leading to and from the heart, resulting in diminished blood flow. Stents are commonly used to reopen collapsed arteries. The process is medically known as angioplasty.

Pre-Surgery and Prep

• Your doctor will have you abstain from eating starting at midnight the night before the surgery. At this time, you'll also want to inform your doctor of any medications you're taking. The surgery itself does not require that you be put under, but a mild sedative is generally administered.

Placing the Stent

• Once you have been given the sedative, you will also get a general anesthetic to numb the surgical area. The artery will be located and a small incision will be made in the artery. Through that incision, a catheter is fed through the artery. The stent will sit on the front of the catheter. Once the area of blockage is found, the stent will be placed and inflated through the use of a balloon. When the stent has opened the artery sufficiently, the balloon and catheter are withdrawn from the artery.

Closing Up

• Because the incision is small, closing the cut is a simple matter of applying pressure to the area of the incision. A bandage will be placed over the incision and the surgery is basically done. While the surgery only takes a couple of hours, an overnight stay in the hospital is required to monitor your blood pressure and heart rate.