Final answer:
A stent is a cylindrical support inserted into an artery post-angioplasty to keep it open and maintain blood flow.
Step-by-step explanation:
A cylindrical support used to keep an artery open is known as a stent. This small mesh tube is often inserted following an angioplasty, a procedure where a catheter with a balloon-like tip is used to widen a narrowed blood vessel. The stent reinforces the weakened vessel walls to prevent them from collapsing and ensures that blood flow is maintained. Other treatments for blocked coronary arteries include lifestyle changes, medications, endarterectomy for removing plaque from blood vessels, and coronary bypass surgery, which creates an alternate pathway for blood flow using a graft.