Cardiovascular system Angioplasty and stent

Angioplasty and stent: The angioplasty is a dilation with a balloon of an artery narrowed by fat plaques. It is performed by a catheterization, where a catheter is place next to the artery to be dilated. A balloon catheter is placed inside the artery and the balloon is inflated just in the narrowed area. The balloon crushes the fat plaque in the artery, so increasing its diameter and improving the blood flow. The stent is a small prosthesis made built as a metallic mesh. It is frequently used after the angioplasty in the same procedure to mold the artery and decrease the chances of obstruction or return of narrowing. Stents covered with drugs were recently developed, aiming to reduce the chances of a new narrowing caused by the vessel cicatrization once such prosthesis is placed. We are still waiting for long-term results of this so-called pharmacological stents.