The man and word behind the coronary metal prosthesis.

Interventional cardiologists implant stents every day. Stents are also used in numerous other medical disciplines such as plastic surgery, gastroenterology, urology, and oral and maxillofacial surgery.1–5 Uses range from rebuilding mandibles and other oral surgical procedures, constructing new ureters, keeping skin flaps, and as biliary conduits.6–11 What is the source of this word stent everyone is using in daily practice? This article describes the origin of the word, how it became so popular, its use in medicine outside the cardiovascular system, and the people who used this term first.

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