A minimally invasive treatment for calcified coronary artery disease called shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) was recently approved by the FDA for use in the United States.
As individuals with coronary artery disease age and their disease progresses, plaque in their arteries evolves into calcium deposits. This can narrow or block the arteries. Physicians often use stents to open narrowed or blocked arteries to restore blood flow. Of the approximately 1 million patients that undergo stent procedures each year, 30% have problematic calcium that increases their risk for serious complications. This is because the bone-like calcium deposits make the artery rigid and more difficult or impossible to reopen with conventional treatments alone. Such treatments include balloons deployed by a catheter and inflated under high pressure to break up the calcium, and atherectomy, which requires drilling through the calcium before the stent can be placed.
The North Oaks team now uses shockwave technology to deploy a catheter into the artery and inflate a balloon to a low pressure. Next, Shockwave IVL is used to deliver sonic pressure waves that gently crack the calcium deposits in the artery wall. After the calcifications are broken up, the balloon is expanded to prepare the artery for stenting to restore blood flow.
“The Cardiovascular team at North Oaks is steadfast in our commitment to give our patients access to the latest and safest innovations to treat heart disease and improve lives,” said Erica Williams, vice president of North Oaks Health System’s Cardiovascular service line.
Each year, more than 600,000 people in the U.S. die of heart disease, and it’s the leading cause of death for men and women.