Heart Stents Can Cause Injuries That May Be Compensable

Heart stents are small tubes used to treat narrowed arteries in the body.  They are also sometimes referred to as coronary stents or cardiac stents.  They can open arteries and reduce symptoms (like chest pain) in people with coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis.  They are sometimes used to treat heart attacks.

How Are Heart Stents Placed?

Stents are placed with local anesthesia and mild sedation.  There is no major incision and the procedure does not take long.  Recovery from getting a stent is shorter than more invasive kinds of surgery, and the discomfort is less.

What Are Some of the Risks From Heart Stents?

There are many kinds of stents.  Drug-coated stents release drugs into the blood over time. The drugs aim to prevent scarring and recurrence, but they can cause some other problems.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration believes drug-coated stents can lead to a higher risk of stent thrombosis, which is a blood clot in the stent itself.Other risks of stent placement can be allergic reactions, stent migration, rupture of the blood vessel or artery, bleeding, blood clots, and infections. The stent itself can also become clogged.Because of the risks that accompany stent placement, follow up monitoring is extremely important.  Doctors usually prescribe medications for patients who get a stent, to help minimize some of the risks.  Following the doctor's instructions about those medications is very important.

If You've Suffered Injuries Because of a Stent

If a stent leads to an allergic reaction or other problem, you could be at risk of serious injury or death.  If the patient's condition is not properly monitored, a medical malpractice claim may arise.  The patient or his or her family may be entitled to compensation.If you or a family member suffered injuries because of a stent, our New York medical malpractice attorneys will help you evaluate your case to determine if there is a possible claim.  

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