*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

Hi patree125 and thank you for your question. Here's an answer from Stephen Smith, M.D., Director of Inpatient Cardiovascular Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital:

There is no specific limit. I am aware of patients who have received up to 25 stents in a variety of locations. Usually, the number of total stents will be much smaller than that. Typically at Henry Ford, our patients recceive 1 to 3 stents per percedure, with most patients receiving one per session. When one considers that multiple procedures may be required for multiple obstructions, surgical bypass grafting may actually be more complete and safer, especially if you consider the fact that "restenosis" of an angioplastied lesion may require even MORE procedures. Sometimes in patient populations such as diabetics, ultimate outcomes may be better with surgery rather than stenting.

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****