Author:- Mr. Ritesh Sharma
Anyone who is affected by coronary artery disease severely must wonder how many stents can be put in a heart. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. In this condition, apart from medication, invasive procedures are also used. Stents are placed in the coronary arteries to restore the blood flow to the heart. These are small mesh-like tubes. Healthcare professionals place them in the narrowed or blocked arteries to widen them and enhance the blood flow to the coronary arteries.
Stent placement is an intricate process that is also relatively dangerous to perform. However, in some cases of coronary artery disease, it becomes mandatory, otherwise, the artery gets completely blocked and the situation becomes life-threatening for the patient. In this blog, we will dive into the complexities of the stent-placement and how it influences coronary artery disease. So, let’s uncover some relevant insights into this pivotal treatment procedure for coronary artery disease.
Understanding Coronary Artery Disease
Before we explain the placement of stents in a heart, let us get a deep understanding of coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease is a type of disease in which the coronary arteries, i.e. the arteries supplying the oxygenated blood to the heart get partially or completely blocked. This blockage occurs due to the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries. This plaque is a combination of fat, cholesterol, and other substances. Coronary Artery Disease can lead to extremely serious conditions like a myocardial infarction i.e. a heart attack or other heart-related complications.
The Role of Stents
Stents play a very important role in managing coronary artery disease, they pop open the narrowed or blocked arteries. Due to this, the blood flow to the heart gets restored back. There are various types of stents, such as bare-metal stents, drug-eluting stents, and bioresorbable stents. All of these types of stents have their own properties and advantages. The choice of the type of stent depends on the severity of coronary artery disease, the patient’s medical history, and the presence of any allergies or sensitivities.
The Procedure of Stent Placement
The invasive procedure of stent placement is referred to as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or angioplasty. In this procedure, a catheter with a deflated balloon and stent is threaded through a blood vessel, usually in the groin or wrist, to the blocked artery. Once in position, the balloon is inflated, expanding the stent and pressing it against the artery walls, thereby widening the artery and restoring blood flow. After placement, the stent remains in the artery permanently, providing structural support.
How many Stents can be put in a heart?
The answer to the question of how many stents can be put in a heart is not definitive. The number of stents to be put in a heart varies from person to person. The factors that influence this decision are stated below:
- Extent and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease: The number of blocked arteries and severity of blockages influence to decision to put multiple stents in a heart. If multiple arteries are blocked then many stents will be put in the heart.
- Anatomy of Coronary Arteries: The anatomy of the coronary arteries, i.e. their sizes, location, and branching pattern determined the number of stents to be put in the heart. If the anatomical structures of coronary arteries are complex then we need multiple stents to ensure comprehensive revascularization.
- Patient’s Overall Health: The overall health of the patient consisting of age, underlying health conditions such as cardiac arrhythmia of different arrhythmia classifications, heart dysfunctions, etc, and tolerance to invasive procedures also influences the number of stents for placement in the arteries. Patients who have existing heart conditions might not be able to withstand multiple stents in the heart.
- Stent Overlapping and Coverage: To cover long segments of coronary arteries, overlapping stents may be required sometimes. However, your healthcare professional needs to ensure that there is excessive stent overlapping, otherwise, it can lead to complications such as re-narrowing of the artery and blood clot formation.
- Risk-Benefit Assessment: The healthcare professional must consider all risks prior to placing multiple stents in the heart. While placing many stents in the heart, there could be procedural complications and stent-related issues. So, he/she must proceed with caution.
Safety and Efficacy Considerations
When placing the stents, healthcare professionals should be careful about not going overboard. Otherwise, it might lead to the following complications:
- In the procedure, there is an increased risk of restenosis or re-narrowing of arteries.
- Moreover, there is a higher incidence of stent thrombosis or blood clot formation.
- If the procedure time is prolonged then the radiation exposure can harm your heart.
- Once the stents have been placed in your heart, you might experience challenges in future interventions or bypass surgeries.
Therefore, before placing multiple stents in your heart, you must ensure that your healthcare professional takes care of all these complications. Furthermore, after the stents are placed, you must promptly consult your doctor if you face symptoms such as heart palpitations or chest pain.
In conclusion, there is no clear answer to the question of how many stents can be put in a heart. The number of stents to be put in a heart purely depends on the severity and type of coronary artery disease. Apart from this, all of the aforementioned factors substantially influence it. With innovations in the realm of technology, the stent placement procedure has been continually enhancing and in the future, all risks associated with it will hopefully be mitigated.
