After a blocked artery is opened using a tiny balloon (angioplasty), a small wire-mesh tube is placed in the artery to keep it open. Some stents are coated with a medication to prevent blood clots from forming in the area. Others are not. Your doctor will talk to you about the kind of stent that is best for you.
Life-saving flight - During the MedEvac flight from Pocono Raceway to Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, Patric Hettman’s heart stopped four times. But before the Pocono 500 was over, an angioplasty and stent saved the East Stroudsburg , Pa., man's life.