Indications for stents?

Answer 1

There are multiple types of stents, I have tried to shorten it up as under:
In Coronaries when narrowing can lead to myocardial infarction.
Other uses are:-
a) adequate iliac/femoral access;
b) infrarenal non-aneurysmal neck length of greater than 1 cm at the proximal and distal ends of the aneurysm and an inner vessel diameter approximately 10-20% smaller than the labeled device diameter;
1)morphology suitable for endovascular repair;
2) one of the following:
3) aneurysm diameter of > 5 cm
4) aneurysm diameter of 4-5 cm which has also increased in size by 0.5 cm in the last 6 months; or
5) aneurysm which is twice the diameter of the normal infrarenal aorta.

Answer 2

A few days ago I answered the same question about Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery. The indications are essentially the same.

Stents are used to open blockages in a tubule structure. They are most commonly known for their use in the coronary arteries but may be used in other areas as well. In the arteries they are used to spread the artery open where a blockage or narrowing has occurred. Some patients are served well by stents but others require CABG. The decision is normally made by the cardiologist. Stenting or CABG is determined by the number of blockages, the severity and their location(s). Normally, you go in for a catheterization. If blockages are found and stents are needed, it will normally be done at that time. If CABG is required, they will complete the catheterization then arrangements will be made to perform the CABG.

To see the question on CABG and my and others answers click this link:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AreMudQbr8s9Mx35f1DKmbXty6IX?qid=20070718093020AAclrIZ&show=7#profile-info-Nev7pz8Faa

For information on stents click this link:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/stents/stents_whatis.html

For information on CABG click this link:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/cabg/cabg_whatis.html

There are a ton of other information sources. If you would like more just contact me by going to my profile. There you can click on "Email Terry S" or click the link below.

http://answers.yahoo.com/my/message_do?kid=AA10902014

Terry

Answer 3

The main purpose of a stent is to counteract significant decreases in vessel or duct diameter by acutely propping open the conduit by a mechanical scaffold or stent. Stents are often used to alleviate diminished blood flow to organs and extremities beyond an obstruction in order to maintain an adequate delivery of oxygenated blood. Although the most common use of stents is in coronary arteries, they are widely used in other natural body conduits, such as central and peripheral arteries and veins, bile ducts, esophagus, colon, trachea or large bronchi, ureters, and urethra.(Wikipedia)
Most of the time, stents are used to treat conditions that result when arteries become narrow or blocked. The devices are also used to unblock and keep open other tube-shaped structures in the body, including the ureters (the tubes that drain urine from the kidneys to the bladder) and bronchi (the small windpipes in the lungs).
Stents are commonly used to treat coronary heart disease (CHD). If you have coronary artery disease that does not cause symptoms, you can be treated with either medicine or angioplasty with stenting. Recent studies show that medicine and angioplasty with stenting have equal benefits. Angioplasty with stenting does not help you live longer, but it can reduce angina or other symptoms of coronary artery disease.
Angioplasty with stenting, however, can be a life-saving procedure if you are having a heart attack
Other reasons to use stents include:
* Keeping open a blocked or damage ureter
* Treatment of aneurysms, including thoracic aortic aneurysms
* Unblocking a large artery, such as the carotid artery (carotid endarterectomy)
* To keep bile flowing in blocked bile ducts (biliary stricture)
* Helping you breathe if you have a blockage in the airways
(MedlinePlus)

Answer 4

Stents are inserted routinely now at angioplasty to improve the chances of keeping the vessel open. They would be used for any lesion where the vessel is wide enough to take them. Since the routine use of better anti platelet drugs, clopidogrel, the risk that the stent itself will clot has been reduced dramatically.

Answer 5

Where? Brain stent, stent in the heart arteries? You need to post more info.

Answer 6

obstruction of the coronary vessels involved.