stent

noun \ ˈstent \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of stent

: a short narrow metal or plastic tube often in the form of a mesh that is inserted into the lumen of an anatomical vessel (such as an artery or a bile duct) especially to keep a previously blocked passageway open

See stent defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of stent from the Web

Overall, the study also showed, stent patients fared just as well during meeting dates and non-meeting dates.

— amy norton, chicagotribune.com, "Heart attack survival better when specialists are out of town," 19 Mar. 2018
A few hours later, Drachsler underwent surgery for the installation of a heart stent.

— leah garchik, San Francisco Chronicle, "Heroic medical aide finds parking for heart patient," 22 Mar. 2018
Why would the absence of interventional cardiologists affect patients who did not undergo artery-opening angioplasty or get stents to hold arteries open?

— amy norton, chicagotribune.com, "Heart attack survival better when specialists are out of town," 19 Mar. 2018
The difference accounted for thousands of lives saved and couldn't be explained by the number of emergency stents patients received.

— karen weintraub, USA TODAY, "Cardiologist away? Then you might be more likely to survive a heart attack, study suggests," 9 Mar. 2018
But everything, from a handbag to a heart stent, needs design.

— Fortune, "What Is Good Design in the 21st Century? The Brainstorm Design Conference Aims to Find Out," 1 Mar. 2018
Back home, a cardiologist found a blockage and put a stent in place.

— greg garrison, AL.com, "Candy and ashes: Ash Wednesday is also Valentine's Day," 14 Feb. 2018
In angioplasty, a doctor inflates a thin balloon in an artery to widen it, leaving a stent in place to prop the blood vessel open.

— consumer reports, Washington Post, "Some reasons not to rush into open-heart surgery," 26 Feb. 2018
There, the victim was sent to the catheterization laboratory for evaluation and fitted with a stent, Mehling said.

— john tuohy, Indianapolis Star, "Grocery-shopping firefighters in Fishers save heart attack victim from checking out," 20 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stent

Charles Thomas Stent †1885 English dentist

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1961

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

STENT Defined for English Language Learners

stent

noun

Definition of stent for English Language Learners

medical : a metal or plastic tube that is put in a blood vessel to keep it open

Medical Dictionary

stent

noun \ ˈstent \

variants: also stint play \ˈstint\

medical Definition of stent

1 : a mold formed from a resinous compound and used for holding a surgical graft in place; also : something (as a pad of gauze immobilized by sutures) used like a stent

2 : a short narrow metal or plastic tube often in the form of a mesh that is inserted into the lumen of an anatomical vessel (as an artery or bile duct) especially to keep a previously blocked passageway open

Biographical Note for stent

Stent, Charles Thomas (1807–1885), British dentist. In the mid 19th century Stent developed a dental-impression compound containing gutta-percha, stearine, and talc, which he produced and sold with the aid of his sons Charles Robert (1845–1901) and Arthur Howard (1859–1900), who also became dentists. In 1899 the compound was trademarked under the name Stents. During World War I the Dutch plastic surgeon J. F. S. Esser discovered that Stent's compound could also be used to form molds for holding skin grafts in place, and in a 1917 publication he referred to such molds as “stents molds.” Over the next several decades the singular form stent became a generally used term in plastic and oral surgery. The meaning of stent continued to be expanded to include other types of artificial supports for human tissue. In 1954 the American surgeon William ReMine applied the term stent to a polyethylene tube used to support an anastomosis in an experimental biliary reconstruction. By 1966 stent (or sometimes stint) had been used for tubular supports in cardiovascular surgery, and by 1972 the term was also being used for urological supports.

Learn More about stent

See words that rhyme with stent Nglish: Translation of stent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stent for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up stent? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

stent

Definition of stent

Recent Examples of stent from the Web

Origin and Etymology of stent

STENT Defined for English Language Learners

stent

Definition of stent for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

stent

medical Definition of stent

Biographical Note for stent

Learn More about stent

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

loath

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

‘Sleight’ or ‘Slight’ of Hand?

'Complement' vs. 'Compliment'

Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

Ask the Editors

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Words of the Year: 1066

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

More Confusing Words—Quiz

True or False?

Bee Cubed

The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

Trending: 'Venom' Trailer Drives Searches for 'Symbiote'

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

stent

Definition of stent

Recent Examples of stent from the Web

Origin and Etymology of stent

STENT Defined for English Language Learners

stent

Definition of stent for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

stent

medical Definition of stent

Biographical Note for stent

Learn More about stent

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

Trending: 'Venom' Trailer Drives Searches for 'Symbiote'

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes