Why Do People Need Stents After A Heart Operation?

It acts like a wire reinforcement /frame work for the blood vessel where the clot was to hold it open and help it heal faster. It is the easiest way to correct the blood flow problem instead of open heart surgery. It can improve life without risking further major complications.this is why you see the president up and walking around a couple days after the procedure instead of laying in the bed for months waiting for sutures and staples to heal over enough to be mobile again.i guess the biggest thing is not to have to do surgery/to have to cut and remove parts of the veins causing more scarring another possible blockage down the road over time.

My husband is only 46 & had a massive heart attack right before x-mas & was healthy as a horse. He had a blockage & they still dont know why but they put stints & balloons in him to keep arteries open so they could not collapse. They keep people alive.

To hold their blood vessels open that the heart needs.

Can't put it better than previously stated by the two before me.... Slick Willy Clinton may have only had them as a precaution... He is a famous political guy, gets better treatment than the rest of us generally speaking.... But I love that man, great SNL material and intelligence along with a comforting demeanor and fantastic delivery system for speeches.

It keeps their blood vessels in place and open so  the blood runs clear through all their veins,to ensure proper flow to the heart.
It depends on the strength of the person.

I always thought they were used to keep a vein or artery open....but I am unsure

Plaque forms along the walls of veins and arteries.  The eventual plaque build up restricts and blocks the flow of blood through that artery. A stent is a tubular wire mesh that expands inside the constriction, pushing the plaque "outward" to open the artery once again.

When plaque blocks a vein or artery to the heart, it prevents the blood from being pumped throughout the body and prevents the heart from getting enough oxygen, and causes a heart attack.  When plaque blocks a vein or artery to the brain, it prevents the brain from getting enough oxygen, causing a stroke.

To prevent the collapse of blood vessels.

What all of the above said, stents keep the blood flowing through ur veins, thus u live!