Rotational atherectomy

Abstract

Rotational atherectomy is an interventional cardiology procedure. It is performed in the setting of a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PCI is a procedure involving the insertion of a catheter into the coronary arteries via a cutaneous arterial access point. The aim of a PCI is to relieve the coronary arteries of occlusions caused by various reasons. Rotational atherectomy is useful for relieving coronary occlusions caused by hard atherosclerotic plaques. The device used in rotational atherectomy is a catheter which contains an oval-shaped burr. The thesis also covers the results of patients treated at the Department of Cardiology and Cardiac surgery using rotational atherectomy.