Why Do Medical Professionals Sometimes Use Stents?

A stent is a tube that is inserted into a blocked passageway. The goal of the tube is to restore the flow of blood in your heart. They can be made out of either metal or plastic. In addition to physically keeping the artery open, it also has medication applied to the stent so that the artery is less likely to close. 

The Importance of a Stent

The stent is put in place because an artery has become blocked because of plaque buildup. The procedure is minimally invasive and will help to prevent strokes as a result of a lack of blow flow to the brain.

Preparing for the Stent

The patient needs to prepare for the stent. How the patient prepares for the stent depends on the type of stent being used. The patient must not take any medications that will interfere with the ability of the patient's blood to clot. 

The doctor will need to inform the patient about any drugs that they should stop taking. The patient should inform the doctor about any medical conditions they have that might affect the surgery. There are also often medications that a patient needs to take to ensure that the procedure is successful.

The Duration of the Procedure

How long the procedure takes depends on the type of procedure that is being done. For some procedures, it might only take a few minutes. There are cases where the plaque can become dislodged and can work its way into the brain. 

This will lead to the medical professionals needing to stop the procedure to attend to this. These actions can slow down the procedure for an unknown period of time. The procedure is often performed on an outpatient basis unless there are complications that lead to the patient needing to remain in the office. However, once the procedure has been completed, the patient will have improved blood flow and a reduced risk of suffering from a stroke.

Purchasing Stents

Because of the importance of stents, any clinic will need access to a medical supply company that provides stents and several other types of medical supplies. Stent costs can vary depending on the type of stent. However, they are all self-expanding. In addition to opening arteries, there are stents that are used to open airways in the lungs, bile ducts, and the ureters that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

For more information about stents and other medical supplies, contact a local medical supply distributor.