Open AccessContemporary tools and devices for coronary calcium modification
Author(s) -
Heerajnarain Bulluck,
Margaret McEntegart
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
jrsm cardiovascular disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2048-0040
DOI - 10.1177/20480040221089760
Subject(s) - conventional pci , percutaneous coronary intervention , medicine , coronary angiography , stent , calcium , cardiology , coronary stent , population , restenosis , myocardial infarction , environmental health
With the aging population, up to a third of patients referred for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have moderate or severe calcified lesions assessed by coronary angiography. The presence of coronary calcium is associated with difficult device delivery, sub-optimal stent deployment, and prolonged procedures, with more complications. Furthermore, it is known that sub-optimal stent expansion is associated with poor clinical outcomes. In this manuscript we describe how to quantify the severity of coronary calcium, review the armamentarium of contemporary devices available for calcium modification, and provide a systematic approach to device selection, assessment of successful calcium modification, and stent optimization.