Statistical Review of Vascular Stenting
Stents are used to treat different medical conditions, but they are predominantly common in treating coronary artery diseases. the procedure in which the coronary artery is revascularized and supported with a stent is called Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). The percutaneous coronary intervention has become one of the most extensively performed procedures in modern cardiology, providing significant relief of anginal pain and preventing the occurrence of myocardial infarction. The number of the annually performed PCI is estimated to be more than 4.5 million procedures globally and about 900,000 in the US.
Frequent modifications and careful observation of the results of the stenting procedure had resulted in a high success rate. Many patients with cardiac problems have been effectively treated with drug-eluting stents (DES), avoiding more invasive interventions like coronary artery bypass surgery. In comparison to coronary bypassing, it seems that both have almost the same excellent outcomes. The success rate of PCI is variable and dependent on many factors such as the patient’s age, general health condition, and patient’s compliance. However, many cardiologists estimate that approximately 85% of patients resume their life normally after PCI.
Although some patients may claim that coronary stents reduce life expectancy, PCI improves the quality of life and restores the heart’s capacity. A study conducted in 2019 in Rotterdam, Netherlands showed that the survival rate at 10, 20, 30, and 35 years after PCI were 78%, 47%, 21%, and 12%, respectively. On the other hand, the mortality rate of stenting Is too low to be concerned about. Generally, 1.27 percent of PCI patients died in the hospital, ranging from 0.65 to 4.81 percent in elective PCI in patients with STEMI (prolonged complete obstruction of the coronary artery).
