Studies like these are essential for cutting down on unnecessary tests and procedures, and from procedures, like this one, that could do more harm or lead to a quicker death. As patients, it's important that we ask questions of our doctors and make sure they are up-to-date on the latest studies in their field so we can get accurate information. Here are some questions I found helpful: http://whatstherealcost.org/video.php?post=five-questions

So many of these new procedures end up doing more for the doctor's and hospital's bottom lines than they do for the patients. I've lost most of my respect for doctors, and I have even less for the hospital execs.

I know of three people, my father included, that had stents put in within the past year and a half. All were dead within three months of the operation. There is no doubt in my mind that it was the operation that killed them. Good luck proving it though.

Sad that there isn't something better to help, but what can be done? Stents save people from dying of strokes, but the problem is they throw clots. What other things can be done? Aspirin and thrombolytics can increase systemic bleeding, coils could throw clots too and ballooning procedures are only temporary. Some peoples' bodies just fail them and we can only do so much.