bare metal stent
A coronary stent without drug coating, providing mechanical scaffolding to keep arteries open but with higher restenosis rates than drug-eluting stents.
Full Definition
A bare metal stent (BMS) is an uncoated metallic mesh tube deployed in coronary arteries to maintain vessel patency after balloon angioplasty. Unlike drug-eluting stents, BMS lacks pharmacological agents to prevent tissue growth, resulting in higher rates of in-stent restenosis but shorter required duration of dual antiplatelet therapy. These devices are typically constructed from stainless steel or cobalt-chromium alloys and may be preferred in patients with high bleeding risk, planned surgery, or poor compliance with prolonged antiplatelet therapy. BMS represents the earlier generation of coronary stents and remains relevant in specific clinical scenarios.
Usage
Usage note: Lowercase except when abbreviated as BMS; hyphenate the compound modifier.
In Context
- "A bare metal stent was selected due to the patient's upcoming surgery requiring antiplatelet discontinuation." — Procedure report
- "The operator chose bare metal stent deployment to minimize long-term antiplatelet requirements." — Clinical decision documentation