a tube of plastic or sprung metal mesh placed inside a hollow tube to reopen it or keep it open; uses in surgery include preventing a blood vessel from closing, esp after angioplasty, and assisting healing after an anastomosis
Word origin
C19: after Charles Stent (1807–85), English dentist
stent in American English
(stɛnt)
noun
Surgery
any of various materials or devices used to hold tissue in place; esp., a tubular device implanted inside a blood vessel to keep the vessel open
Word origin
after Charles R. Stent (died 1901), Brit. dentist who invented a substance later used to make molds forholding skin grafts in place