Shockwave Lithoplasty for Peripheral Artery Disease
A Harrisburg, PA hospital is one of 45 global sites to test shockwave lithoplasty in breaking up calcium deposits in peripheral arteries. According to this piece: “Built on an angioplasty balloon platform, each catheter incorporates multiple lithotripsy emitters activated with the touch of a button while the integrated balloon is inflated. Once activated, these emitters produce therapeutic sound waves that are inherently tissue-selective, passing through the balloon and soft vascular tissue, preferentially disrupting the calcified plaque by creating a series of micro-fractures. Once the calcium has been disrupted, the vessel can be effectively dilated using low pressures thereby enabling even historically challenging PAD patients to be treated effectively and with minimal injury to the vessel.” MORE
Image Credit: PinnacleHealth CardioVascular Institute