Interv Akut Kardiol. 2008;7(4):148-151

Rotational atherectomy - present position in interventional cardiology

Petr Kala

Interní kardiologická klinika FN a LF MU v Brně

Rotational atherectomy has been used in interventional cardiology since 1988. The technical concept is focused on decreasing or removing the atherosclerotic plaque from the diseased coronary artery responsible for the myocardial ischemia. As well as the other technically more difficult and adjunctive methods for the classical coronary angioplasty and stent implantation, its usage went through the periods of enthusiasm and scepticism. At present, the method is experiencing a moderate renaissance due to the better characteristics of the balloon catheters and stents, including the drug-eluting stents, where the optimal stent aposition is needed for the homogenous drug releasing. These techniques allow to perform much more complex interventions instead of the surgical revascularisation. That is why it is sometimes impossible for the interventional cardiologist to manage without the high-speed rotational atherectomy. These procedures are done in heavily calcified and atherosclerotic arteries where the classical approaches fail completelety or just in achieving the optimal results. Even there the rotational atherectomy is just the first step in the treatment that has to be followed by the already mentioned techniques.

Keywords: rotational atherectomy, atherosclerosis, calcification

Published: December 20, 2008  Show citation