What is shunt vs stint?

Shunt and stent are two medical devices that are commonly used in different medical procedures, predominantly in the circulatory system.

A shunt is a tube-like device that is implanted in the body to create an artificial passage for the normal flow of bodily fluids such as blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Shunts are primarily used to treat conditions such as hydrocephalus, a condition that results in an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain.

On the other hand, a stent is a tiny, expandable mesh tube that is also placed in the body, but it is used to open up or widen narrowed or blocked blood vessels. Stents are often used in medical procedures such as angioplasty to treat conditions like coronary artery disease, which results from the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

The main difference between shunts and stents is that shunts are used to reroute normal fluid flow in the body, while stents are used to support the opening of narrowed or blocked blood vessels. They serve two different purposes in the body, and their applications are not interchangeable. Additionally, the implantation of these devices requires a specialized skill, which necessitates the involvement of trained medical personnel.