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Atherectomy What is atherectomy? Atherectomy (ath"er-EK'to-me) is a procedure to remove plaque from arteries. Plaque is the buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances in an artery's inner lining. Coronary atherectomy removes plaque from the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle. It uses a laser catheter, or a rotating shaver ("burr" device on the end of a catheter). The catheter is inserted into the body and advanced through an artery to the area of narrowing. Other devices are dissectional catheterectomy, catheters that shave off the plaque, or laser catheters that vaporize the plaque. Balloon angioplasty or stenting may be used after an atherectomy. Persons with plaque buildups in the carotid (kah-ROT'id) arteries or major arteries of the neck are at higher risk for stroke. Carotid endarterectomy (end"ar-ter-EK'to-me) is an effective surgical procedure that can help them. It removes the plaque to reduce the risk of stroke. The decision to use these procedures must be made by a physician. Related AHA publications: See also: Angina Pectoris Angina Pectoris Treatments Angioplasty and Cardiac Revascularization Treatments and Statistics Angioplasty Laser Angioplasty Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary (PTCA) Arteriography Bypass Surgery, Coronary Artery Cardiac Catheterization Carotid Endarterectomy Heart Attack Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Outpatient Cardiac Catheterization Stent Procedure Stroke Stroke Treatment Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR) |
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