The Use of a Coronary Stent

Hello everyone! This article shall be about a very important item in medical science that has helped to save thousands of lives all over the world, the one and only....CORONARY STENT!


First things first: what is a coronary stent?


Its actually this

Yeap thats right that tiny little metal (sometimes made of fabric though) tube smaller than ur index finger can actually save your life! The actual definiation for it is ''A coronary stent is a stent placed in a coronary artery to treat coronary heart disease''.It is normally made of stainless steel as it is light and does not rust.

What and how is a coronary stent used?
I am sure all of you are now thinking: ''How can a metal tube actually save someone's life??? Are you kidding me?'' Well, sorry to dissapoint you guys, but i am not joking with you. I am absoblutely sure that the explanation below will leave your jaws DROPPED in utter disbelief.But its true. =)


First off, let me explain how it actually treats coronary heart disease.The stent is used to treat coronary arteries hat are blocked by plaque, which can be fatal as it can result in blood flow being stopped.

Step 1: The stent is first mounted on a ballon catheter. (A balloon catherer expands in the by being inflated in the part of the artery,expanding it.)

Step 2: It is then inserted into a blood vessel on the arm or groin. (Ouch!)

Step 3: The stent then advances to the blocked section of the artery.

Step 4: The ballon is then inflated, causing the stent to expand.

Step 5:Expansion of the stent pushes the plaque aside, opening the narrowed section of the artery. This restores normal blood flow to the heart.

So as all of you all can see, a stent actually is a very good way of treating blocked arteries as they widens blood vessels narrowed by plauque, thus increasing bloodflow to the heart!

However, nothing in this world is perfect and it breaks my heart to tell all of you all that the stent actually has is disadvatages.The truth is, re-closure of the blood vessels might actullay occur despite the stent being inserted.

But do not despair and give up in the stent! There is always light at the end of a tunnel. With recent improvements in technology and science, a new type of stent known as the drug-eluting stents, which actually slowly realeases drugs in the artery to prevent it from closing!

Credits & Acknowledgements:

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/DeviceApprovalsandClearances/Recently-ApprovedDevices/ucm082499.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_catheter

Thanks for reading! Good bye.

Proudly brought to you by:

Tan Zheng Jie (37)

Tiew Jia Quan(38)

Wong Jun Meng (39)

Wong Teng Kiat (40)