Why is heart stent made of stainless steel?

Question

medical device, material selection, stainless steel

Answer 1

Because cheese is not strong enough

Answer 2

The placement of a stent, which is a mesh, metal tube placed in an artery in the heart (a coronary artery) to help keep the artery open after an angioplasty procedure.

In April 2003 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new type of coronary stent, called a drug-eluting stent. This type of stent is coated with a medication that is slowly released and helps decrease the rate of reblockage in the artery in which it is inserted.

Early experience with the stent suggested that there may be an increased early risk of clotting with the stent. This seems to be confirmed by review of four years of data gathered from clinical trials. A small percentage of patients treated with drug-eluting stents, especially those with blockages in more than one vessel and/or diabetes, might be at higher risk for reblockage after one year since the time the stent was put in. This, in turn, may lead to an increased rate of heart attacks in this group. The FDA currently reviews the data and within the next months new information might be available.
It is now a mesh placed inside the lumen.

Answer 3

I would think that all types of implants are made of stainless steel. It prevents people from having some kind of reaction to it. Also, stainless steel is more durable than regular steel and other metals.

Answer 4

Because stainless steel has the least chance of rejection by the recipient.

Answer 5

So it won't rust inside of your body. Which would be bad. And it can't be made out of a substance that the body will "reject". I.e., the body can't say "What is this? This doesn't belong here, it's a foreign object, I have to activate everything in my immune system to get rid of it.")

Answer 6

Because it is inert,it doesn't oxidize and is almost impervious to wear.