Glossary of Terms
Below is a glossary of frequently used terms that relate to Boston Scientific's products and related procedures.
Drug-eluting stent refers to a stent with an active drug that is intended to produce a therapeutic effect (e.g., reduction of restenosis).
A thin, flexible wire that can be inserted into a confined space to act as a guide to facilitate passage of a device, such as a catheter.
Area within the boundaries of the stent.
A tiny ultrasound "camera" that is threaded into the arteries to give physicians a cross-sectional view, showing where the normal artery wall ends and the plaque begins. Used in conjunction with angiography, the catheter-based IVUS technology gives physicians a more detailed understanding of the plaque in patients’ arteries. In certain situations, IVUS can aid in the selection and sizing of stents and balloons and can offer assurance that a stent has been properly deployed.
Neointimal formation post procedure.
Length of the lesion, as measured from end-to-end by a core laboratory.
The hollow space inside a blood vessel through which the blood flows.
Cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI) including Q- and non Q-wave MI, and target vessel revascularization (TVR).
Permanent damage to the heart tissue and muscle due to the interruption of the blood supply to the area. Commonly referred to as a heart attack.
The act of closing or the state of being closed.