Coronary Artery Stent  What is a stent?  A stent is a tiny
device made of surgical stainless steel. Your healthcare
provider will use a thin tube called a catheter to place the
stent inside an artery to hold the artery open and allow more
blood to flow through the blood vessel.  When are coronary
stents used?  A stent may be used when you have coronary
arteries that are narrowed or blocked by plaque. The coronary
arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients
to the heart muscle. Plaque is a buildup of fats, cholesterol,
and other substances on the inside walls of the arteries. The
stent may be placed in your artery when you have a procedure
called angioplasty to open your artery.  Examples of
alternatives to this procedure are:    • balloon angioplasty,
which uses a catheter and balloon to stretch and unblock the
artery   • atherectomy, which uses a shaver to remove plaque   •
coronary bypass surgery, which is an operation that opens the
chest and uses arteries from the chest, or veins from t