Some heart blockages have heavily calcified arteries, making stent placement challenging. To treat these safely and effectively, interventional cardiologists use specialized techniques to modify the calcium and prepare the artery for stenting.
● How it works: A tiny, diamond-tipped burr rotates at high speed to grind away calcium into microscopic particles that safely pass through the bloodstream.
● When it’s used: For heavily calcified lesions that are difficult to cross with balloons or wires.
● How it works: A balloon delivers gentle sonic pulses to fracture deep calcium within the artery wall, allowing safe stent placement.
● When it’s used: Ideal for deep or stubborn calcified plaques that are hard to treat with mechanical atherectomy alone.
● How it works: A diamond-coated crown rotates and orbits within the artery, creating a 360-degree ablation of calcium while minimizing risk of entrapment.
● When it’s used: Helps stent delivery in severe calcification and prevents coronary shift during the procedure.
● Tailored Approach: The best method depends on the type, location, and
severity of calcification.
● Combined Techniques: In complex cases, a combination of atherectomy
and IVL, sometimes called “rotatripsy” or “orbitatripsy”, may be used.
● Expert Care: These procedures require highly skilled interventional
cardiologists to minimize risks and ensure optimal results.
● Prepares heavily calcified arteries for successful stent placement
● Improves blood flow and heart function
● Reduces the risk of complications during PCI
