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    Intravascular lithotripsy to treat calcified coronary arteries during percutaneous coronary intervention

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    Description

    The main blood vessels that supply blood to the heart (coronary arteries) can be narrowed by fatty deposits. These can become hard (calcified). Usually in percutaneous coronary intervention, a small tube (stent) is placed inside the narrowed artery (intravascular). This keeps the artery open and allows blood to flow more freely. Before the stent is inserted, a balloon is inflated to widen the narrowed artery. Calcified fatty deposits can make placing the stent difficult. To make this easier and to avoid damaging the artery, a device in the balloon produces ultrasound shockwaves. These waves break up the hard deposits (lithotripsy) before the balloon is fully inflated.