Case Report: Intravascular Lithotripsy for Treatment of Severely Calcified Coronary Artery Disease in acute coronary syndrome

Abstract

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) in heavy calcified vessels remains a significant challenge for interventional Cardiologists despite developments in procedural techniques and technology. Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy, a novel coronary calcium modification device, is being used in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The presented case is a patient with NSTEMI and heavily calcified left anterior descending artery as culprit. The attempts to pre-dilate the lesion with semi-compliant and non-compliant balloons at high pressures were unsuccessful so the decision was made to use a shockwave balloon. Subsequently drug-eluting stents were successfully implanted and post-dilated at high pressure. Final angiography showed an excellent result, also confirmed with IVUS.