A stent is a wire mesh tube used to prop open a heart artery that has recently been cleared using angioplasty. The stent stays in the artery permanently, holding the artery open, to improve the blood flow to the heart muscle and relieving symptoms.

What are the advantages of using a stent?
Stents help reduce the renarrowing that occurs in some patients after balloon angioplasty or other procedure using catheters.

When are stents used?
A stent may be used in a combination or as an alternative to angioplasty. There are certain features of the artery blockage that make it suitable for using a stent, such as location and size of the artery.

Can arteries reclose with stents?
A problem with the stent procedure is reclosure (restenosis). New stents have shown promise for improving the long term success of this procedure.