Stenting is a minimally invasive procedure, meaning it is not considered major surgery. Stents can be made of metal mesh, fabric, silicone, or combinations of materials. Stents used for coronary arteries are made of metal mesh. Fabric stents, also called stent grafts, are used in larger arteries such as the aorta.
Stent placement usually takes 30 minutes to two hours, but the preparation and recovery time may add several hours. This procedure is usually performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Check with your doctor about the details of your procedure.
After receiving treatment, you'll usually be in hospital for a few days. The length of your stay will depend on what treatment you've had and how well you begin to recover. If you've had coronary angioplasty or stents, it's likely to be two or three days.
Usually, patients stay overnight and return home the day after the procedure. Some may even go home the same day. The amount of time that you stay in the hospital will depend on if there were any difficulties during the procedure and how well the catheter insertion site is healing.
You will be awake during the procedure. The doctor will use live x-ray pictures to carefully guide the catheter up into your heart and arteries. Liquid contrast (sometimes called "dye," will be injected into your body to highlight blood flow through the arteries.
They found a 1‐year mortality rate of 24% that increased to 36% at long‐term follow‐up with a median of 5.3 years.
One can go back to their normal routine within 2 to 3 days after undergoing the procedure, depending on the doctors' recommendations. However, patients who undergo this procedure must ensure they follow the above-mentioned lifestyle changes to lead a long and healthy life after stent placement.
You will be asleep for most stent procedures, so plan to have someone else take you home. You may go home the same day or after a few days, depending on the type of stent and your other medical conditions.
Avoid strenuous exercise and lifting heavy objects for at least a day afterward. Ask your doctor or nurse about other restrictions in activity. Call your doctor's office or hospital staff immediately if: The site where your catheter was inserted starts bleeding or swelling.
If it was placed because of severe pain from a stone, stent discomfort is usually significantly less. Most patients will experience some discomfort which may include pain in the back, flank and pelvis, urinary urgency and frequency, and intermittent blood in the urine.
If you had a planned (non-emergency) coronary angioplasty, you should be able to return to work after a week. However, if you've had an emergency angioplasty following a heart attack, it may be several weeks or months before you recover fully and are able to return to work.
An artery should be clogged at least 70% before a stent should be placed in it.
Exercise increases your fitness levels, helps control blood pressure, weight and cholesterol, and keep you relaxed. Start with short and simple walks, and gradually increase length and intensity. You can walk as much as you like as long as you feel comfortable, and daily walking - if only for a few minutes - is ideal.
“Most of the time after a heart attack, people actually do quite well and live fuller lives afterward.” In fact, if the blockage that caused your heart attack is cleared with stents or surgery, you might feel better and have more energy than you did before your heart attack.
The Benefits of Stenting
By keeping an artery open, stents lower your risk of chest pain. They can also treat a heart attack in progress and reduce the chance of a future heart attack.
Just after the procedure
Once your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are alert, you may be taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) or a regular hospital room. If the sheath was left in the insertion site, it will be taken out of the groin or arm at the right time.
Life after stent placement- lifestyle changes
They would be advised to give up smoking and alcohol as it can have adverse effects on their heart. Furthermore, the patient may need to follow a healthy diet to ensure good health.
You will need to take antiplatelet medicines, or blood thinners, to prevent blood clots from forming in the stents in your arteries. Your provider may prescribe these medicines for 1 year or more after getting a coronary stent. For carotid or peripheral artery stents, it may be 1 month or more.
Driving after a heart attack and a stent
If you had a heart attack and a stent (angioplasty) at the same time, you should not drive for at least two weeks.
Cardiac stent procedures were most commonly performed among patients aged 65 to 84 years old for both sexes—and were rare among patients under the age of 45.
Am I too old to have an angioplasty and a stent? A: Not necessarily. During an angioplasty, a doctor threads a thin tube into a heart blood vessel and inserts a tiny mesh scaffold (called a stent) to keep the vessel open and restore blood flow. This can often improve chest pain, or angina.
While stents offer a minimally invasive way to reopen a blocked artery, bypass surgery also remains a leading treatment for people with complex coronary artery disease (CAD).
Large pieces of beef, poultry, pork and shellfish are most likely to cause a blockage of your stent: o Shred, mince or grind meats and shellfish. o Slow cook meats until tender. o Fish the texture of salmon, tuna, cod and tilapia do not need to be modified. Breads and dried fruits may cause blockage of your stent.
Bedrest may vary from two to six hours depending on your specific condition. If your physician placed a closure device, your bedrest may be of shorter duration. In some cases, the sheath or introducer may be left in the insertion site.
Foods to avoid, or keep to a minimum:
Pithy fruit e.g. oranges, nectarines, grapefruit, pineapple. Dried fruit, nuts, and seeds, popcorn. Fish with bones e.g. anchovies, tinned sardines. Tough or gristly meat.