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Coronary stent device support

Medical and dental procedures

Peace of mind for your procedures

Living with a coronary stent, there are certain precautions you’ll want to take with medical and dental procedures. Below are some general guidelines, but be sure to speak to your healthcare provider before you consider any new procedures or medications.

Doctor speaking with a patient in the doctor’s office

Understanding safety

An MRI is a diagnostic test that uses a strong electromagnetic field to produce images of the human body. MRI Safety testing has shown that Boston Scientific’s coronary stents are MR Conditional and patients with our stents can get an MRI scan safely under certain conditions listed on your Stent Implant Card.

Important: Before getting an MRI scan, be sure to tell your doctor and the MRI technologist that you have a coronary stent so they can take all necessary safety precautions.

Taking your medication

After your procedure, your cardiologist may prescribe medications to thin your blood and prevent blood clots from forming and adhering to the surface of the stent. You should not stop taking these medications unless you are asked to do so by your doctor. If you stop taking these medications before being instructed to do so by your cardiologist, the chances of blood clot formation on the stent, subsequent heart attack, or even death are increased. If surgery or dental work is recommended which would require you to stop taking these medications prematurely, you and your doctor should carefully consider the risks and benefits of this additional surgery or dental work versus the possible risks from early discontinuation of these medications. If you do require premature discontinuation of these medications because of significant bleeding, your cardiologist will carefully monitor you for possible complications. Once your condition has stabilized, your cardiologist will probably put you back on these medications.

Talk to your doctor

If you need medical or dental treatment, tell your dentist or doctor you have a CRT device and show them your Medical Device Implant Card. Your care team can contact your heart specialist and to find a treatment that works best for you and your device.

We’re here to help

Our patient services team is here to support you throughout your journey.

(866) 484-3268

Important Safety Information

Cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers (CRT-P) and defibrillators (CRT-D) are designed to treat heart failure patients who may or may not have symptoms or who may have symptoms despite the best available drug therapy. They are also designed to help your heart pump more effectively and meet your body’s need for blood flow.  These devices are sensitive to strong electromagnetic interference (EMI) and can be affected by certain sources of electric or magnetic fields. With all medical procedures there are risks associated.  In regard to an implanted ICD, the risks include but are not limited to inappropriate shock, lead moves out of place, loss of stimulation capability, allergic reaction, fluid underneath the skin, and infection.  In rare cases device failure or death can occur.  Be sure to talk with your doctor so that you thoroughly understand all of the risks and benefits associated with the implantation of this system.  To obtain a copy of the device Patient Handbook for more detailed device safety information, go to www.bostonscientific.com,  or you can request a copy by calling 1-866-484-3268 or writing to Boston Scientific, 4100 Hamline Ave. N., St. Paul, MN  55112. 

Device Quality and Reliability

It is Boston Scientific’s intent to provide implantable devices of high quality and reliability. However, these devices may exhibit malfunctions that may result in lost or compromised ability to deliver therapy. Refer to Boston Scientific’s CRM product performance report on www.bostonscientific.com for more information about device performance, including the types and rates of malfunctions that these devices have experienced historically. While historical data may not be predictive of future device performance, such data can provide important context for understanding the overall reliability of these types of products. Also, it is important that you talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits associated with the implantation of a device.

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