What is a covered stent?

Covered stents are composed of fabric or graft material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), covering a metal stent. They have various clinical applications in peripheral arterial disease management.

Why are bare metal stents still used?

The development of bare metal stents (BMS) was a major advance relative to balloon angioplasty in the management of symptomatic coronary artery disease. BMS prevented restenosis by attenuating early arterial recoil and contraction.

How long do bare metal stents last?

A stent is permanent. Once placed, you’ll have it for life, which your body can safely tolerate. If your arteries narrow again, you’ll need to have the procedure again to correct it. If this happens, it’s usually within the first 6 months.

Is a stent graft a covered stent?

The Talent stent-graft (Medtronic/AVE) is composed of a nitinol stent covered by polyester with bare metal ends which may cross side branches such as the left subclavian artery. The device and delivery system are more flexible than the Excluder, allowing for placement through tortuous arterial systems.

What are the different types of stents?

There are two types of stents: bare-metal stent and drug-eluting stent. The latter are used more frequently and are coated with medication that helps keep a blocked artery open longer.

What are bare metal stents made of?

Current bare metal stents (BMSs) are made of stainless steel, cobalt chromium, or platinum chromium. Stainless steel BMSs were the first devices used for coronary stenting.

Are bare-metal stents safe?

Drug-eluting stent safety Today, new and improved versions of drug-eluting stents are considered safe and effective in most instances, when used with anti-clotting medication as prescribed.

When are bare-metal stents preferred?

Bare-metal stents or second-generation drug-eluting stents are recommended for patients receiving anticoagulation agents. DAPT for longer than 1 month places the patients at a high risk of bleeding. A bare-metal stent is preferred if the risk of restenosis is lower.

Why are drug-eluting stents better than bare metal?

The use of drug-eluting stents has been shown to be more effective in the prevention of restenosis than the use of bare-metal stents,1 and the use of newer-generation drug-eluting stents, as compared with first-generation devices,3,4 may also reduce the rate of stent thrombosis.

What are heart stents coated with?

Silicon carbide-coated stents were used in the stent arm of a clinical trial comparing balloon angioplasty alone with balloon angioplasty plus stenting in the setting of an acute myocardial infarction.