Atherectomy removes hardened plaque from inside narrowed arteries using a catheter-based cutting or shaving device. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute performs atherectomy to restore blood flow in patients with peripheral artery disease and peripheral artery occlusion.
Our physicians use specialized atherectomy catheters guided by real-time imaging to clear calcified lesions that resist balloon angioplasty.
Soris Pain & Vascular Institute
Atherectomy is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure that physically removes atherosclerotic plaque from the artery wall rather than compressing it against the vessel like angioplasty.
The catheter carries a small cutting, shaving, or orbital mechanism that debulks the lesion and creates a wider channel for blood flow. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute selects the atherectomy device based on plaque composition and vessel anatomy.
Procedure
Our physicians review angiographic imaging from prior studies or obtain it at the start of the procedure. The treatment plan identifies lesion location, length, and calcification level.
A catheter enters through a small puncture in the groin or wrist artery and advances to the blockage under fluoroscopic guidance. The atherectomy device activates to remove plaque in controlled passes. The procedure takes one to two hours.
Atherectomy patients go home the same day. Walking resumes within hours, and normal activities return within one to two weeks. Soris Pain & Vascular provides follow-up vascular ultrasound to confirm sustained patency.
Benefits
Heavily calcified lesions that resist balloon dilation respond well to mechanical plaque removal. Atherectomy prepares the vessel for stenting when needed.
At Soris Pain & Vascular Institute, atherectomy is performed on an outpatient basis, allowing you to go home the same day without a hospital stay.
By removing plaque instead of compressing it, atherectomy preserves the natural compliance of the artery wall. This reduces the rate of restenosis in certain lesion types.
Conditions Treated with Atherectomy
Atherectomy treats Peripheral Artery Disease and Peripheral Artery Occlusion when plaque narrows the leg arteries enough to cause claudication, rest pain, or tissue loss.
Collaboration
Our physicians perform atherectomy at Soris Pain & Vascular Institute. They have advanced training in endovascular procedures.
FAQ
Angioplasty compresses plaque against the artery wall with a balloon. Atherectomy physically removes the plaque. Soris Pain & Vascular often uses both techniques together for optimal results.
Local anesthesia numbs the catheter insertion site. Most patients feel mild pressure during the procedure. Soris Pain & Vascular reports that the majority of atherectomy patients describe minimal discomfort.
Patency rates depend on lesion characteristics and follow-up care. Soris Pain & Vascular schedules surveillance ultrasound at regular intervals and performs reintervention if narrowing recurs.
Board-certified physicians bringing hospital-level, minimally invasive interventional procedures to outpatient centers.
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