How Does a Heart Stent Work?
A heart Stent is essentially a tube that is placed inside coronary arteries in order to open them up to allow for proper blood flow. When arteries become clogged or begin to malfunction, a heart doctor will often try this as the first procedure to attempt to return proper blood flow and functionality to the heart, in addition to oral medication. This medical device treats coronary heart disease and prolongs the life of the patient. These devices must be deemed safe in regards to pharmaceutical compliance regulations in order to be used during the surgical process.
History
The heart Stent was a late development for heart procedures. It was not until 1986 when the first Stent was used on a live patient. At first the stents were made of strictly metal, mostly stainless steel or titanium. In 2001, drug-eluting stents began to be used. These are another type of scaffold piece to aid the arteries in remaining open. These slowly release medication to prevent fibrosis and clots.
How a Stent is made
A mesh is created from metal, mainly titanium or stainless steel, to make a tube. The creating of this mesh is a very tricky process. Making strands of metal that are very thin and can remain flexible, without any jagged edges is a chore. It must be shown that the mesh it smooth, has no snags and no sharp points that would cause a rip or puncture of the coronary artery. Drug-eluted stents include a medication based coating that covers any potential snags or sharp points.
The Function of a Stent
The job of a Stent is to open up the coronary arteries in the heart. The result is proper blood flow to maintain a regular heartbeat. For some heart patients, this is a temporary fix while other heart-related health issues are addressed.
Some patients do not require any further treatment. These stents can be left in for a prolonged period of time without causing any harm to the body. Keep in mind that it is a foreign object that the body may reject initially. Physicians monitor patients for a period of time after the procedure to ensure that the device is not rejected. To reduce this occurrence, stainless steel is the preferred metal as it is non-reactive and most patients have no complications.
Re-Occlusion and Risks
In some cases, rare occurrences, clots can form as a result of other heart conditions. These clots can settle inside the Stent and cause a blockage. Patients will notice this rather quickly as chest pain will set in. Difficulty breathing may also be a result of a clot. The pain is concentrated to the left side of the chest and is often sharp or stabbing types of pain. When this does occur, the chest must be opened up again in order to clear the Stent. Replacement of the Stent with a drug-eluting option is likely the case. This is an effort to prevent clots or blockage from happening again.
There is a slight risk for a small arterial tear and infection at the surgical site. Proper follow-up care must be maintained to prevent these risks from occurring, which generally results in a short hospital stay. Intravenous medication is often administered to address potential infections quickly.
Compliance Standards
Where drug-eluting stents are concerned, the FDA, in regards to medical compliance in the US, has a higher approval rating than BMI or bare metal stents. This is due to there being lower side effects, lower risk of heart attack and a better prognosis overall. The same regards to medical compliance in Canada and in the UK are in place. Also, in regards to medical compliance in the UK, Canada and the US all patients with stents must maintain an anti-platelet therapy to prevent complications. Recoil for balloon-type stents must be regulated and closely monitored. Stainless steel must be used to prevent rust corrosion. Synthetic Stent materials must be non-allergenic, carefully regulated and proven to be snag-free.
With the variety of stents available along with the procedures, some of which can be non-evasive, a better quality of life can easily be returned to heart patients. Many heart patients require no further surgical procedures and have no further complications with heart disease. Medication and lifestyle changes, mostly where diet is concerned, are a big part of maintaining heart health to prevent further complications as well.
History
The heart Stent was a late development for heart procedures. It was not until 1986 when the first Stent was used on a live patient. At first the stents were made of strictly metal, mostly stainless steel or titanium. In 2001, drug-eluting stents began to be used. These are another type of scaffold piece to aid the arteries in remaining open. These slowly release medication to prevent fibrosis and clots.
How a Stent is made
A mesh is created from metal, mainly titanium or stainless steel, to make a tube. The creating of this mesh is a very tricky process. Making strands of metal that are very thin and can remain flexible, without any jagged edges is a chore. It must be shown that the mesh it smooth, has no snags and no sharp points that would cause a rip or puncture of the coronary artery. Drug-eluted stents include a medication based coating that covers any potential snags or sharp points.
The Function of a Stent
The job of a Stent is to open up the coronary arteries in the heart. The result is proper blood flow to maintain a regular heartbeat. For some heart patients, this is a temporary fix while other heart-related health issues are addressed.
Some patients do not require any further treatment. These stents can be left in for a prolonged period of time without causing any harm to the body. Keep in mind that it is a foreign object that the body may reject initially. Physicians monitor patients for a period of time after the procedure to ensure that the device is not rejected. To reduce this occurrence, stainless steel is the preferred metal as it is non-reactive and most patients have no complications.
Re-Occlusion and Risks
In some cases, rare occurrences, clots can form as a result of other heart conditions. These clots can settle inside the Stent and cause a blockage. Patients will notice this rather quickly as chest pain will set in. Difficulty breathing may also be a result of a clot. The pain is concentrated to the left side of the chest and is often sharp or stabbing types of pain. When this does occur, the chest must be opened up again in order to clear the Stent. Replacement of the Stent with a drug-eluting option is likely the case. This is an effort to prevent clots or blockage from happening again.
There is a slight risk for a small arterial tear and infection at the surgical site. Proper follow-up care must be maintained to prevent these risks from occurring, which generally results in a short hospital stay. Intravenous medication is often administered to address potential infections quickly.
Compliance Standards
Where drug-eluting stents are concerned, the FDA, in regards to medical compliance in the US, has a higher approval rating than BMI or bare metal stents. This is due to there being lower side effects, lower risk of heart attack and a better prognosis overall. The same regards to medical compliance in Canada and in the UK are in place. Also, in regards to medical compliance in the UK, Canada and the US all patients with stents must maintain an anti-platelet therapy to prevent complications. Recoil for balloon-type stents must be regulated and closely monitored. Stainless steel must be used to prevent rust corrosion. Synthetic Stent materials must be non-allergenic, carefully regulated and proven to be snag-free.
With the variety of stents available along with the procedures, some of which can be non-evasive, a better quality of life can easily be returned to heart patients. Many heart patients require no further surgical procedures and have no further complications with heart disease. Medication and lifestyle changes, mostly where diet is concerned, are a big part of maintaining heart health to prevent further complications as well.