A coronary stent is a simple mechanical device designed to open closed coronary arteries. The stent is a round, spring-like, stainless steel device that provides mechanical support to the wall of the artery. The motivation for developing the coronary stent came from the fact that balloon angioplasty is not always one hundred percent successful.
Balloon angioplasty is the most common method for opening tight or closed coronary arteries.
This procedure involves passing a small deflated balloon across a blocked artery and then inflating it in order to open the blockage. Insertion of a coronary stent is very much like the procedure for balloon angioplasty. The stent is placed around a balloon and is then positioned across the coronary lesion. The balloon is then inflated to position the stent. As the balloon inflates, the stent expands and compresses into the inner lining of the artery.