Stent Placement Specialist
Stent placement is an effective way to keep arteries open for the long-term. At Advanced Heart Care in Belleville and Fairview Heights, Illinois, the team of skilled cardiologists offers stent placement services to address symptoms of coronary artery disease and other conditions that cause narrowing of your arteries. If you’re looking for a solution for narrowed arteries, consider the long-term benefits of stent placement. You can find out more by calling the office nearest you or by using the online booking feature to schedule a consultation.
Stent Placement Q & A
What is stent placement?
Stent placement is a procedure the surgeons at Advanced Heart Care often perform at the same time as an angioplasty.
The goal of angioplasty is to widen narrowed arteries that interfere with proper blood flow to and from the heart. The surgeon inserts a catheter with an attached balloon into the blocked artery, then they inflate the balloon to reopen and widen the artery.
To ensure the artery stays open, your Advanced Heart Care surgeon may opt to place a stent. The stent is a small, springy coil of wire mesh that expands and locks into position inside the artery.
What are the benefits of a stent?
If you have coronary artery disease or other condition that interferes with blood flow to your heart, a stent can ensure your artery remains wide enough to let blood pass without obstruction. Having a permanent stent in place ensures blood can travel to and from the heart and to the rest of your body.
Having a stent can significantly reduce your risk for heart attack, permanent heart damage, and other life-threatening conditions. Your Advanced Heart Care surgeon can place more than one stent during a procedure to further increase the efficiency of your blood flow.
A stent placement is much less invasive than other procedures, such as bypass surgery. You need only a few weeks to recover from a stent placement procedure, instead of the months it takes to bounce back from a bypass.
Once a stent is in place, you can expect immediate relief of heart-related symptoms, such as shortness of breath and persistent chest pain.
Are there risks associated with stent placement?
Your Advanced Heart Care physician can determine if stent placement is right for you by evaluating your overall health and your specific heart condition.
As with any invasive procedure, there are risks associated with bleeding, and placing the stent may increase your risk for blood vessel damage.
If you receive a stent, you’ll need to take long-term medications to prevent blood clots from forming around the stent.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of stent placement for your condition, call the office to schedule a consultation or book one online today.