Advanced
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
rotational atherectomy
A technique using a diamond-coated rotating burr to modify heavily calcified coronary plaques before stenting.
Full Definition
Rotational atherectomy is a coronary intervention technique that employs a high-speed rotating diamond-coated burr to ablate calcified atherosclerotic plaque. This procedure is typically performed before balloon angioplasty and stenting in heavily calcified lesions that are resistant to conventional balloon dilation. The technique creates microscopic debris that is cleared by the coronary circulation, allowing subsequent optimal stent deployment in otherwise untreatable lesions.
Usage
Usage note: Do not hyphenate. May be abbreviated as 'rotablation' in informal contexts but formal reports should use the full term.
In Context
- "Rotational atherectomy was performed with a 1.5 mm burr to modify the heavily calcified proximal LAD lesion." — Interventional cardiology report
- "The procedure required rotational atherectomy due to balloon-undilatable calcified plaque." — Technical procedure note
Also known as
rotablation
atherectomy
Don't confuse with
orbital atherectomy
laser atherectomy