Term: Stent

Category: Medical Devices

Definition: A stent is a tiny, expandable medical device typically made from metal alloys or biodegradable polymers. It is designed to support and maintain the patency of tubular structures that have been narrowed or blocked due to disease, such as arteries, bile ducts, or ureters. Stents can be bare-metal, drug-eluting (coated with medications to prevent tissue regrowth or clot formation), or bioabsorbable, which gradually dissolve after the vessel heals. The device is commonly delivered to the target site using a catheter–guidewire system and expanded either by a balloon (balloon-expandable stent) or by its own self-expanding properties.

How it Works: 

• The stent is crimped onto a delivery catheter and guided to the affected site using a guidewire.
• Once positioned, it is expanded (balloon inflation or self-expansion) to press against the vessel walls.
• This restores and maintains the vessel’s openness, allowing normal fluid or blood flow.
• Drug-eluting coatings may release therapeutic agents over time to prevent restenosis (re-narrowing).
• The delivery system is withdrawn, leaving the stent in place to provide long-term support.

Common Uses:

• Coronary artery disease: To keep narrowed arteries open and improve blood flow to the heart.
• Peripheral artery disease: To restore circulation in the leg or other peripheral vessels.
• Biliary or ureteral obstruction: To relieve blockage caused by stones or tumors.
• Tracheobronchial stenting: To maintain airway patency in respiratory conditions.
• Neurovascular stenting: To support blood vessels in the brain during aneurysm repair or stroke treatment.

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