How long does a vascular stent last?

How long does a vascular stent last?

How long will a stent last? It is permanent. There is just a 2–3 per cent risk of narrowing coming back, and if that happens it is usually within 6–9 months. If it does, it can potentially be treated with another stent.

What is the risk of stent thrombosis?

The complication of stent thrombosis (ST) emerged at a rate of 0.5% annually for first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES), often presenting as death or myocardial infarction. Procedural factors such as stent underexpansion and malapposition are risk factors for ST in patients.

How do you unblock a stent?

The most common method is to maneuver a drug-coated stent wrapped around a balloon into the middle of the closed-up stent. Inflating the balloon pushes aside the material obstructing the old stent and opens the new one.

How often should stents be checked?

As recommended in the National Disease Management Guidelines (6), patients with coronary heart disease and those who have undergone stent implantation should be followed up regularly (every three to six months) by their primary care physicians, independently of any additional visits that may be necessitated by …

What is the single most important risk factor for stent thrombosis?

In a case control study of 145 patients with stent thrombosis by Rinaldi et al, presence of angiographic thrombus prior to stenting, greater total stent length, higher baseline platelet count, acute MI indication, the use of a self expanding or coil stent, and GpIIb-IIIa exposure were identified as the strongest …

How common is late stent thrombosis?

While stent thrombosis can be a devastating event, fortunately it is a rare problem after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). With bare-metal stents, most stent thromboses occur within the first month of implant at a frequency <1%. Events beyond 6 months are exceedingly rare.

How can you tell if a stent is failing?

Symptoms will usually tell you if there’s a problem. Sometimes heart problems return after a stent procedure. If that happens, you usually have symptoms—like chest pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath. If you do have symptoms, a stress test can help your doctor see what’s going on.

Can stents cause thrombosis?

Stent thrombosis is a major complication associated with stent placement in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Stent thrombosis has been associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, often leading to events of cardiac death or nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI).