Rotablator
(17/05/2010)

A new cardiac interventional device has been introduced for complex procedures where coronary arteries are calcified. Plain balloon angioplasty has significant risk of coronary damage during PTCA. This new rotational atherectomy device is designed for such complex cases where failure rate is high with conventional ballooning. This device has a special diamond burr that spins and blates the inner curves of these arteries.

During the procedure, you might have a temporary pacemaker installed to prevent your heart rate from dropping too low. This will be removed after the procedure is completed. You will be awake during the procedure and given a local anesthetic. The doctor will make a small incision at the top of your thigh and feed the catheter into a blood vessel. He will use an x-ray camera to determine where the catheter is. A dye will be injected so that your doctor can get a picture of the amount of blockage in your artery. A second catheter is inserted into a blood vessel. At the end of this tube is the rotablator. Once your doctor has the device in place, he turns the motor on to break the plaque off the walls of the artery. It will be in small enough pieces that the body will be able to process and eliminate it fromthe body.

After the procedure

Is it safe? The procedure is minimally invasive, but it is not recommended for everyone. If you have had coronary bypass surgery or problems with the functioning of your left ventricles, your doctor will likely suggest another treatment method. In very rare cases, complications such as coronary artery spasm or microembolization could occur. If you have concerns, discuss them with your doctor before the procedure.

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