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	Related conditions   - Cardiac arrest   - Atrial fibrillation   - Cardiomyopathy   - Heart attack   - Congestive heart failure   - Heart murmur   - Pericarditis   - High blood pressure   - Angina   - Aneurysm, aortic   - Arrhythmias

Atherectomy

Atherectomy is a minimally invasive procedure to open blood vessels in the heart blocked by coronary artery disease. Coronary arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Over time, they can become clogged by cholesterol and plaque. Atherectomy utilizes a catheter (a thin, hollow tube) to deliver a tiny, rotating cutting device to the area of blockage. The cutting device shaves off the build-up of plaque, allowing blood to flow freely. The shavings are collected in the catheter and removed.

The catheter is introduced into an artery through a small incision in the upper thigh. The catheter is then guided through the bloodstream to the area of blockage where the cutting device is deployed. X-ray technology allows the physician to view the cutting device as it works. The catheter may be removed and emptied of shavings several times, depending on the amount of cholesterol in the artery. Atherectomy improves blood flow and reduces the risk that a blockage will reoccur at the same spot.

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