You’re cruising along the road, all set to arrive on time, when you hit a bottleneck. Now you’re waiting in traffic, and your ETA just got pushed back by several minutes…while the bottleneck is just caused by a few cars, it derails your entire workday, pushing each meeting and causing chaos in your schedule.

No matter how well-connected a city’s roads may be, or how well-maintained your vehicle is, all it takes is one roadblock to throw a spanner in the works and disrupt your day’s activities. Similarly, in our cardiovascular system, a single narrowed or blocked artery can impede the vital flow of blood, risking the functionality of the heart.

Our body's arteries serve as crucial pathways for the delivery of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and other organs. When these arteries become narrowed or blocked due to the buildup of plaque – a condition known as atherosclerosis – the resulting restriction in blood flow can cause complications like coronary artery disease and lead to heart attacks and strokes as well.

The answer was tiny mesh tubes, typically made of metal or a specialized polymer, that are designed to be inserted into the affected artery through a minimally invasive stent procedure. In 1977, Dr. Andreas Gruentzig performed what came to be known as the first coronary angioplasty with a catheter and balloon he created in his own kitchen – a technology that has benefitted 20 million hearts worldwide. Once in place, the stent acts as a scaffolding, propping open the narrowed or blocked artery and restoring the vital flow of blood.

How Exactly Does Advancing this Stent Technology Help Surgeons?

Blood vessels are often just mere millimetres in diameter, with little room for errors during stent placement. The slightest deviation or excessive force could lead to stent complications— a single misstep could cause vessel trauma, bruising or even ruptures. 

When it comes to navigating and operating within the narrow confines of the human vasculature, precision is of utmost importance. Thus, every tool and technique employed by a surgeon is crafted to provide acute precision, control and accuracy. New stents require significantly less force to use, making it easier for surgeons to navigate through narrowed arteries and cross lesions.

Interestingly, these modern stents go beyond just providing structural support –  they are coated with a fluoropolymer, a resistant material, and release medication in a controlled and sustained manner, helping prevent the re-narrowing of the artery and reducing the risk of future complications.

Paving the Way for Healthier Lives

The stents of today are just the beginning. With each new innovation, we inch closer to tiny marvels - sleeker, sharper, more precise than we have ever imagined. If the journey so far is any hint, the future of cardiovascular care has incredible potential, making it possible to achieve everything that the heart wants.

Disclaimer: The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive /for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information.