Venous Stenting

Venous stenting is a minimally invasive procedure that helps open narrowed or blocked veins to restore normal blood flow. It is commonly used for people with chronic venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or May-Thurner syndrome, which can cause swelling, pain, and circulation problems.

Veins can become narrowed due to scar tissue, blood clots or external pressure, making it harder for blood to return to the heart. This can lead to symptoms like leg swelling, discomfort, heaviness, skin changes, and ulcers. Venous stenting keeps the vein open, improving circulation and relieving these symptoms.

When Do You Use a Stent?

Stents are utilized to address conditions that lead to a partial or complete reduction in a vessel’s area open to blood flow due to injury, trauma, compression of vessels or Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) which happens due to the accumulation of fatty deposits within the arteries, leading to a reduction in blood flow to the extremities.

How does it work?

During venous angioplasty, your doctor will:

A needle should be inserted into a vein located in the groin or behind the knee, based on the specific vein needs stenting.
Insert a guide wire and pass a catheter sheath over it, followed by a guide catheter through the sheath.
Use x-ray guidance (fluoroscopy) to navigate the catheter to the site of the narrowing.
A balloon-tipped catheter is then advanced to the site of the narrowing.
The balloon is inflated and deflated multiple times to expand the constricted vein.

To place a venous stent, your doctor will:

Remove the angioplasty balloon and introduce a catheter equipped with a closed stent.
Position the stent within the vein, where it exerts pressure against the vein walls, providing support to keep it open.
Remove the catheter and apply pressure to the insertion point to close the wound.
After the stent is securely positioned, the catheter is removed, allowing for the restoration of blood flow and significantly improving circulation.

Will it hurt?

If done under general anesthesia, you won’t feel pain. With sedation, the local anesthetic may sting briefly before numbing the area. Stretching of the vein may cause discomfort, but a nurse or clinical staff will be present to assist. Additional pain relief can be given if needed.

Recovery and Aftercare

After the procedure, patients are typically monitored for a short period before being discharged the same day. Most people can resume normal activities within 24 to 48 hours but may be advised to avoid strenuous exercise for a few days. Patients are usually prescribed blood-thinning medications to prevent blood clots and are encouraged to wear compression stockings to support circulation. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled to ensure the stent is functioning properly and that blood flow has improved.

Venous Stenting

When Do You Use a Stent?

How does it work?

Will it hurt?

Recovery and Aftercare

Information

Contact