Stents - Who Needs It? - Who Needs It?
Your doctor may recommend a stent to provide support inside an artery that has become narrowed by plaque buildup from atherosclerosis, or for lung airways that have narrowed due to other medical conditions. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of the procedure with you. Sometimes, a stenting procedure is not recommended or another procedure is recommended instead. Learn more about the use of stents in the following conditions.
Aortic aneurysm or dissection
-
Stents - Who Needs It?
Your doctor may use a stent graft to treat an aneurysm or dissection , or tear, of the aorta. The stent graft supports the weak area of the aorta and helps to prevent the aneurysm or dissection from bursting. Stent grafts can also help to treat injuries that have weakened the aorta. Blood flows through the stent graft and prevents blood from leaking into the body.
Carotid artery disease
-
Stents - Who Needs It?
The carotid arteries are found in the neck and supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Plaque can build up in the carotid arteries, causing carotid artery disease and an increased risk of stroke and other complications.
Ischemic heart disease
-
Stents - Who Needs It?
Stents are often used to treat coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart, when they become narrow. A stent may be recommended to treat the symptoms that come with this narrowing, such as chest pain from angina that occur from lack of blood flow to the heart. A stent can also reduce damage to the heart muscle immediately after a heart attack, which is a complication of ischemic heart disease.
Lung conditions
-
Stents - Who Needs It?
A stent may be used to treat narrowed airways in the lungs. Conditions that may lead to this include:
- A congenital problem. A problem at birth can cause the airways to be too narrow.
- Infections or diseases. Infections, inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis, or any problem in the body that presses on the lungs can narrow the airways.
- Injury. An airway may become narrowed or blocked from injury. Injuries can include side effects from intubation, which involves having a tube guided down into the lungs, or tracheostomy.
- Lung transplant complications. Sometimes after a lung transplant, problems occur within the airways of the new lungs. An airway may collapse, or a hole may form where the transplanted lungs were stitched together.
- Tumors. A tumor may block the airways within the lungs. Cancer treatment, such as radiation or chemotherapy, can sometimes damage the connection between an airway and an organ like the trachea. This connection prevents the airway from working correctly. A stent may be used to help open the airway.
Learn more in our How the Lungs Work topic.
Peripheral artery disease
-
Stents - Who Needs It?
A stent may be used as treatment for narrowed arteries caused by peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition that happens when plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your legs, arms, or abdomen.
Stents may be used to treat PAD symptoms and help prevent future complications caused by reduced blood flow.
When a stent may not be recommended
-
Stents - Who Needs It?
An artery stent may not be recommended in the following circumstances:
- Your condition is mild. Your doctor may monitor your condition, start you on medicine, and recommend heart-healthy lifestyle changes.
- You have multiple narrowed coronary arteries, chronic kidney disease, or diabetes. Your doctor may recommend coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) instead of the coronary stent procedure.
- You are older or have certain risk factors for complications. Your doctor may recommend another procedure instead of a carotid stent if you are over age 70, as the risk of complications, including stroke, may be higher. Stent grafts may be riskier for older patients or those with conditions such as renal failure or heart failure. For all procedures, your doctor will consider your health, talk to you about the risks, and make a decision with you and your family.
An airway stent may not be recommended in the following circumstances:
- You cannot have anesthesia or sedation.
- You need future procedures. Some lung procedures, such as laser therapy, can break or burn the stent. The stent can also get in the way if your lung requires surgery for other reasons.
Look for
-
Stents - Who Needs It?
- Before Getting a Stent will discuss the conditions that these devices treat.
- Getting a Stent will explain the procedure for placing a stent in a patient.