Everytime I hear stents mentioned my mind is cast back. 20 years ago I worked in a medical research institute here in Melbourne and we did a series of field trials with stents which were put in the carotid(neck)artery after it was inserted at the femoral (leg)artery of sheep.The stent is collapsed inside a fine canula(tube) which can be steered like one of those plumbing cameras , along the way they pump out some Xray medium and the image of branches in the vessels are seen on the Xray machine....in the leg, up the guts, through the heart into the carotid and then "pop" the stent would expand and they'd slowly pull the canula out.Six months later the sheep was sent to a higher power and the way in which the stent had "integrated" into the vessle was examined. The placement of the stents was done by a senior radiologist who was incredible to watch, he'd be mumbling to himself, saying "oh dear! , oh no!, oops", and giving the impression he had little idea what he was doing when really he was a complete artist and the whole process was absolutely amazing.
What really stood out about him was that he was a very polite and articulate ( no, not all surgeons are trust me), the very picture of culture and too quite a large man, six four sixteen stone.The single thing that makes me remember this with such clarity is that when there was just the three of us, and no-one else could hear he wheeled out some of the filthiest and most hilarious jokes I'd ever heard , in a voice one notch above a whisper....There would be a sign on the door. "Do not enter under any circumstances X-ray in use" we'd be suited up sterile with lead gowns .....people would look through the window and we'd be laughing so hard sometimes I thought I was going to vomit.........usually the jokes were preceded by a disclaimer..."you didn't hear this from me"....and him the whole time dead pan
Best wishes Joe, those things work, I've seen it.