Bare metal stents were first used in a patient in 1986. They are made of a metal alloy (usually stainless steel). There is a higher rate of complications such as re-narrowing with this technology and as a result, from around 2003, stents that were used to treat coronary blockages were made of the metal alloy plus with an extra coating around the stent containing various types of medicines that help to reduce the risk of re-narrowing. These stents, known as drug-eluting stents (DES for short) are now the mainstream form of stents placed around the world to treat blockages with significantly less complications. compared to the original bare metal stents.
