Baremetalstenttejä

Baremetalstenttejä, known in English as bare-metal stents, are a type of coronary stent used in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to treat narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. Unlike drug-eluting stents, bare-metal stents do not have a special coating that releases medication. The stent itself is a small, expandable mesh tube, typically made of stainless steel or cobalt-chromium alloy, which is delivered to the blocked artery via a catheter and balloon. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to expand the stent, pressing it against the artery wall and holding it open. This restores blood flow to the heart muscle. The primary function of a bare-metal stent is mechanical scaffolding, preventing the artery from collapsing or narrowing again. They are a simpler and often less expensive option compared to drug-eluting stents. While effective in keeping arteries open, bare-metal stents have a higher risk of restenosis, the re-narrowing of the artery, compared to drug-eluting stents. This is because the body's natural healing process can lead to the growth of scar tissue within the stent. However, for certain patient groups or clinical situations, bare-metal stents remain a valuable therapeutic choice.