Advances in Interventional Cardiology (Jul 2021)

Successful coronary lithotripsy after unsuccessful rotational atherectomy – use of complementary tools for treatment of undilatable calcified coronary artery stenosis

  • Piotr M. Wańczura,
  • Wojciech Wojakowski

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5114/aic.2021.107507
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 2
pp. 228 – 229

Abstract

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Despite the progress in percutaneous treatment of coronary artery disease, massively calcified atherosclerotic lesions still constitute a challenge. Rotational atherectomy, capable of modifying the atherosclerotic plaque, known as debulking, has become the gold standard in the treatment of calcified lesions [1]. Recently, intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) became an alternative treatment option for undilatable calcified vessels. This technique uses a balloon-mounted ultrasound source which emits sonic pressure waves propagating through the fluid and delivered to the vessel wall. It results in fragmentation of superficial and deep calcium deposits allowing balloon expansion [2].