Which type of stent releases medication to prevent neointimal hyperplasia?

• A. Balloon Expandable
• B. Self Expandable
• C. Drug Eluting
• D. Bare Metal

Answer: (C)

Preventing restenosis after stent placement relies on delivering medication that blocks the growth of smooth muscle cells in the vessel wall. Only the drug-eluting stent is designed to release such medication locally over time, directly at the site of injury. This local drug release inhibits neointimal hyperplasia, the process where scar tissue and cell proliferation narrow the artery after a stent is placed.

Balloon-expandable and self-expanding refer to how the stent is deployed, not to drug delivery. Bare-metal stents provide scaffolding without any drug, so they don’t have the antiproliferative effect. Drug-eluting stents combine the scaffold with a coating that releases antiproliferative drugs (like sirolimus or paclitaxel), which is why they’re the best choice for preventing neointimal hyperplasia.