What is renal stenting?
A small metal tubular structure called a stent is inserted into the renal artery that supplies essential blood flow to the kidneys. The stent acts as scaffolding, keeping the artery stretched open and maintaining adequate blood flow through the vessel after it is opened with a balloon. When does a patient’s condition require renal artery stenting? Plaque build-up (atherosclerosis) and sometimes other abnormalities of the renal artery may cause enough narrowing or blockage so that blood supply to the kidney is reduced and the risk of kidney damage becomes very high. Because the kidneys serve as a filter to remove waste products and excess fluids from blood, the kidneys receive almost one third of the blood flow from the heart. The kidneys also play a major role in regulating blood pressure. If left untreated, renal artery stenosis can lead to a form of high blood pressure called renovascular hypertension, poor functioning of the kidneys, and/or kidney failure. What tests can determine a
