Northwest Health – Porter Offering New Treatment for Plaque in Coronary Arteries

8/24/2021

Northwest Health – Porter is offering a new FDA-approved technique to treat severely calcified cardiovascular disease. Dr. Anshuman Das, interventional cardiologist with Northwest Medical Group performed the first coronary intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) earlier this month.

Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a new use of lithotripsy, a treatment that has been used since the early 1980s to dissolve kidney stones. With this approval, IVL is now used to dissolve calcium in the coronary arteries.

As coronary artery disease progresses, plaque in the arterial wall often evolves into calcium deposits. These deposits cause the artery to narrow and blocks blood flow. Calcium deposits are bone-like structures which make the artery rigid and more difficult to reopen with conventional treatments including balloons.

Intravascular lithotripsy uses sonic pressure waves that pass through soft arterial tissue and preferentially break up calcified plaque by creating a series of microscopic sized fractures. After the calcium has been cracked, the artery can be expanded and a stent safely implanted to improve blood flow.

To learn more about Dr. Das and other cardiologists at Northwest Medical Group visit NWMedicalGroup.com.

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