Rotablation

Rotablation is a technique for clearing clogged coronary arteries. It uses a special rotating blade to shave off the plaque built up on the artery wall that has caused the blockage. A catheter (thin tube) is inserted into an artery in the leg and guided to the blockage using X-ray technology. The tip of the catheter is equipped with a blade that pulverizes the plaque into very fine pieces. The procedure may be combined with balloon angioplasty or the placement of a stent.

Why are the coronary arteries important?
Since coronary arteries deliver blood to the heart muscle, any coronary artery disorder or disease can have serious implications by reducing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart, which may lead to a heart attack and possibly death. Atherosclerosis (a build-up of plaque in the inner lining of an artery causing it to narrow or become blocked) is the most common form of coronary artery disease.