Usually, patients stay overnight and return home the day after the procedure. Some may even go home the same day. The amount of time that is spent in the hospital may depend on if there were any difficulties during the procedure and how well the catheter insertion site is healing.
Going home. A coronary angioplasty sometimes involves an overnight stay in hospital, but many people can go home on the same day if the procedure is straightforward. After the operation, you won't be able to drive for a week, so you'll need to arrange for someone to drive you home from hospital.
The procedure may take place right after the arteriogram, which is used to find the blockage, or it may occur the next day. You may need to stay in the hospital two or three days.
Once the cardiologist is happy that it is in the right position, the balloon is inflated, widening the narrowed part of the artery and expanding the stent to fit the artery wall. Then the catheter, balloon and wire are removed, leaving the stent in place. The procedure usually takes 30–60 minutes.
Just after the procedure
Once your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are alert, you may be taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) or a regular hospital room. If the sheath was left in the insertion site, it will be taken out of the groin or arm at the right time.
Stenting is a minimally invasive procedure, meaning it is not considered major surgery. Stents can be made of metal mesh, fabric, silicone, or combinations of materials. Stents used for coronary arteries are made of metal mesh. Fabric stents, also called stent grafts, are used in larger arteries such as the aorta.
After having a planned (non-emergency) coronary angioplasty, you'll usually be able to leave hospital the same day or following day. Arrange for someone to take you home. Before you leave hospital, you should be given advice on: any medication you need to take.
You will be awake during the procedure. The doctor will use live x-ray pictures to carefully guide the catheter up into your heart and arteries. Liquid contrast (sometimes called "dye," will be injected into your body to highlight blood flow through the arteries.
If it was placed because of severe pain from a stone, stent discomfort is usually significantly less. Most patients will experience some discomfort which may include pain in the back, flank and pelvis, urinary urgency and frequency, and intermittent blood in the urine.
You might feel pressure in the area where the catheter is inserted. You may also feel some mild discomfort when the balloon is inflated and your artery is stretched, but typically you shouldn't feel any sharp pain during the procedure.
Driving after a heart attack and a stent
If you had a heart attack and a stent (angioplasty) at the same time, you should not drive for at least two weeks.
They found a 1‐year mortality rate of 24% that increased to 36% at long‐term follow‐up with a median of 5.3 years.
One can go back to their normal routine within 2 to 3 days after undergoing the procedure, depending on the doctors' recommendations. However, patients who undergo this procedure must ensure they follow the above-mentioned lifestyle changes to lead a long and healthy life after stent placement.
Usually, patients stay overnight and return home the day after the procedure. Some may even go home the same day. The amount of time that you stay in the hospital will depend on if there were any difficulties during the procedure and how well the catheter insertion site is healing.
Stenting is ideal when there are just 1 or 2 blockages and they are not major. Patients are discharged quickly and can resume a normal life within a week. A cardiologist will conduct tests to note the extent of blockages and evaluate various parameters to decide whether you are a candidate for bypass or stenting.
Typically, you're awake during your stent placement because it's a minimally invasive procedure. Medicine helps you relax, and a local anesthetic numbs the area of insertion, but you're able to hear your doctor and you're aware of what's going on around you.
Another option to avoid is anything high in saturated fats, including butter, whole milk, bacon, cured meats, and red meat. Sugary foods, including pastries and candies, should also be removed from your diet after heart attack and stents.
The procedure varies, but in most cases it takes between 30 and 60 minutes to complete.
After the stent placement procedure, bruising or discolouration is likely to occur where the catheter was inserted, along with soreness in the area where pressure is applied. A patient may feel more tired than usual, in the first few days.
Exercise increases your fitness levels, helps control blood pressure, weight and cholesterol, and keep you relaxed. Start with short and simple walks, and gradually increase length and intensity. You can walk as much as you like as long as you feel comfortable, and daily walking - if only for a few minutes - is ideal.
You will need to take medicines to prevent a blood clot from forming in the stent. You may need to take other medicines as well. Resume normal physical activity and return to work when your provider says it's okay. For most people, this can happen within a few days to a week.
Feel more tired than usual for several days. If your intervention was performed while you were having a heart attack, feelings of tiredness will last longer - perhaps as long as six weeks, the time it takes for healing after an attack. If you had an elective procedure, it might take a few days to get your energy back.
Bedrest may vary from two to six hours depending on your specific condition. If your physician placed a closure device, your bedrest may be of shorter duration. In some cases, the sheath or introducer may be left in the insertion site.
While the research is clear that stents save lives if inserted during a heart attack, “for most patients with stable heart disease, there's no good evidence that it can save their life or improve their symptoms any more than medication and lifestyle changes,” says Frederick Welt, M.D., chair of the American College of ...