Stent Insertion in Hildesheim

Stent insertion is often performed using a minimally invasive procedure. Your doctor will make a small incision, usually in your arm or groin, to insert a tiny, flexible tube called a catheter. The catheter is used to guide specialized tools through your blood vessels to reach the site of the blockage. One of the tools may have a camera attached on its end to help your doctor guide the stent.

During the procedure, an angiogram may be used to help your doctor guide the stent through the vessel. An angiogram is an imaging technique in which a special dye (contrast) is injected through the catheter to make the arteries visible on the TV monitors. 

Once the broken or blocked vessel is located and the necessary tools reach the area that needs a stent, your doctor will install the stent and leave it in place permanently. Then, the tools are removed from your body and the incision is closed.

You will be given local anesthesia during the procedure. This means that you will be awake, but the affected area will be numbed. Your doctor may also give you a sedative to help you relax.

You may need to stay in the hospital overnight after stent insertion. However, if the stent insertion is needed because of an emergency, such as a stroke or heart attack, you will need to stay in the hospital longer. The recommended length of stay in Hildesheim is around 7 days since you need to let your body recover before traveling and you will need to attend a follow-up checkup.

Most people are able to return to work and most normal activities within 5-7 days following successful stent insertion surgery. However, strenuous activities, such as vigorous exercise and heavy lifting, should be avoided for several weeks.

During your recovery period, your doctor will prescribe antiplatelet drugs, which can help prevent blood clots from forming near the stent. You may need to take the antiplatelet drug daily for an indefinite period of time after stent insertion. 

Healthy lifestyle changes are vital after stent insertion to prevent plaque building up in the body and to prevent further complications. It is recommended that you:

• Exercise regularly

• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Quit smoking

• Reduce stress.

You may need to attend regular follow-up appointments, usually every six months for the first year of your stent insertion. During these appointments, your doctor will evaluate your medications, monitor your progress, determine how the stent is working for you, and check the status of your disease. You can choose to have the follow-up appointments at your home country if you cannot go back and forth to Hildesheim.

Depending on your specific condition, doctors may sometimes offer medication as an alternative to a stent. For plaques or fatty deposits in the blood vessels, your doctor may offer a procedure to remove the fatty deposits (percutaneous transluminal coronary rotational atherectomy – PTCRA) or a procedure to burn the fatty deposits (percutaneous laser coronary angioplasty). For some patients, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is also an alternative option.