Atherectomy

Atherectomy is a procedure done to open a partially blocked blood vessel to the heart so that blood can flow through it more easily. The procedure removes fat and calcium buildup (atherosclerosis) in the heart arteries.

During an atherectomy, a thin flexible tube (catheter) is inserted through an artery in the groin or arm and carefully guided into the coronary artery that is narrowed. Once the tube reaches the narrowed portion of the artery, a cutting device, a whirling blade (such as rotational atherectomy), or a laser beam is used to remove the cholesterol and calcium buildup from the artery wall.