Rotational Coronary Atherectomy (RA)

Overview

This is a way we remove hardened plaque that's blocking a coronary artery. The coronary arteries are tiny blood vessels that provide blood to your heart tissue. Clearing a blockage lets your heart get the blood it needs to work properly.

Preparation

To begin, we give you medicine to make you feel relaxed and numb. Now, we need to reach your blocked coronary artery. To do this, we start at your groin or upper thigh to access a large blood vessel called the "femoral artery." We insert a tube called a "catheter" into this vessel. We carefully guide the catheter up to your heart and to the opening of your blocked coronary artery. Then, we inject some dye so we can see the blockage on an X-ray.

Removing the blockage

Now it's time to clear the artery. For this, we use a thin device equipped with a rotating burr. It spins at a very high speed. It gently breaks the plaque blockage into tiny pieces. These pieces can pass through your bloodstream without harming you.

End of procedure

When we're finished, we pull out the catheter. We bandage your skin, and you are watched closely. Your doctor will tell you when you can go home. Follow your care plan for a safe recovery.