Which intervention is performed to keep a vessel open after angioplasty?

Which intervention is performed to keep a vessel open after angioplasty?

• A. Stenting
• B. Atherectomy
• C. Balloon angioplasty without stent
• D. Coronary bypass grafting

Answer: (A)

Placing a stent is the intervention used to keep a vessel open after angioplasty. After the balloon inflates to widen the artery, the vessel tends to recoil or may develop small tears (dissections). A stent acts as a scaffold inside the artery, holding the lumen wide and sealing dissections, so the blood flow remains unobstructed over time. This ongoing support reduces the chance that the artery narrows again, which is why stenting is preferred for maintaining patency post-angioplasty. Atherectomy removes plaque but doesn’t provide lasting internal support. Balloon angioplasty alone can open the vessel temporarily but leaves it prone to recoil. Coronary bypass grafting is a surgical alternative used in more complex or multi-vessel disease, not the immediate post-angioplasty step to keep a single vessel open.

Placing a stent is the intervention used to keep a vessel open after angioplasty. After the balloon inflates to widen the artery, the vessel tends to recoil or may develop small tears (dissections). A stent acts as a scaffold inside the artery, holding the lumen wide and sealing dissections, so the blood flow remains unobstructed over time. This ongoing support reduces the chance that the artery narrows again, which is why stenting is preferred for maintaining patency post-angioplasty.

Atherectomy removes plaque but doesn’t provide lasting internal support. Balloon angioplasty alone can open the vessel temporarily but leaves it prone to recoil. Coronary bypass grafting is a surgical alternative used in more complex or multi-vessel disease, not the immediate post-angioplasty step to keep a single vessel open.