Coronary stents are small mesh tubes placed inside arteries to keep them open after a blockage is cleared. Here's what you need to know about their movement or removal:
Can Coronary Stents Move?
Once a stent is properly implanted in a coronary artery, it is designed to stay in place permanently. However, in very rare cases, stents could shift soon after placement due to:
Improper deployment during the procedure
Severe vessel movement due to high blood pressure or anatomical issues
Failure to fully expand and adhere to the artery wall
Modern stents, especially drug-eluting stents, integrate with the artery wall as tissue grows over them, making movement highly unlikely after healing (typically within a few weeks to months).
Can Coronary Stents Be Removed?
In most cases, stents are not removed because they become embedded in the artery wall. However, in rare situations, a stent may need to be removed or modified, such as:
Stent thrombosis (clotting inside the stent)
Severe restenosis (narrowing of the artery inside the stent)
Malpositioned or broken stents
Since direct stent removal is highly complex and risky, alternatives like balloon angioplasty, additional stents, or bypass surgery are usually considered instead.
