Are Stents Considered Heart Surgery?

What is heart angioplasty and stent placement? Angioplasty and stent placement are common procedures to open arteries in the heart that are clogged. These procedures are formally known as coronary angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention. Angioplasty involves the use of a tiny balloon to widen the artery.

Is a stent major surgery?

Having a stent placed is a minimally invasive procedure, meaning it is not a major surgery. Stents for coronary arteries and carotid arteries are placed in similar ways. A stent graft is placed to treat an aneurysm in a procedure called aortic aneurysm repair.

How serious is having a stent put in?

About 1% to 2% of people who have a stent may get a blood clot where the stent is placed. This can put you at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Your risk of getting a blood clot is highest during the first few months after the procedure.