Recently, Delhi High Court asked the Central government to respond to a plea seeking sale and marketing of coronary stents in the country only after submission of adequate supporting clinical studies.
What is a Stent?
- A stent is a tiny, expandable metal mesh coil. It is put into the newly opened area of the artery to help keep the artery from narrowing or closing again.
- This revascularization procedure is termed as a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary angioplasty with stent placement.
- Coronary stents are now used in nearly all angioplasty procedures.
- Most stents are coated with medicine to prevent scar tissue from forming inside the stent. These stents are called drug-eluting stents (DES).
- Compared to coronary artery bypass surgery, which is much more invasive, people who get stents have less discomfort and a shorter recovery time.
What is ‘Angioplasty’?
- It is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries caused by coronary artery disease.
- It restores blood flow to the heart muscle without open-heart surgery.
- Angioplasty can be done in an emergency setting such as a heart attack. Or it can be done as elective surgery if your healthcare provider strongly suspects you have heart disease.
- Performed with local anaesthesia and mild sedation, angioplasty involves no major incisions and usually takes about an hour.
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