Anantapur, May 27: KIMS Saveera Hospital has successfully treated a 65-year-old heart attack patient using an advanced coronary intervention technique known as Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL), a cutting-edge technology designed to address heavily calcified coronary artery blockages.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Moode Sandeep, Chief Cardiologist, who employed the innovative shock wave-based technology to safely treat severe calcium deposits within the patient’s coronary arteries.
According to Dr. Sandeep, the patient was admitted with symptoms of an acute heart attack. Subsequent coronary angiography revealed a critical 90% blockage in a major coronary artery. Further evaluation using a CT calcium score showed a score of 510, indicating extensive coronary artery calcification.
“Coronary artery calcification occurs when calcium accumulates within the walls of the arteries supplying blood to the heart. The condition becomes more common with advancing age and is associated with a significantly higher risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other adverse cardiovascular events,” Dr. Sandeep explained.
Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) is a novel technology that utilizes pulsatile sonic pressure waves to fracture calcium deposits embedded within the artery walls. Originally developed from lithotripsy technology used to break kidney stones, IVL has emerged as a safe and effective option for treating moderate to severe calcified coronary lesions.
Traditionally, heavily calcified coronary blockages have been treated using rotational atherectomy, a procedure that employs a high-speed rotating device to grind away calcium deposits. While effective, rotational atherectomy can generate significant heat and may carry procedural complexities.
“IVL offers a minimally invasive alternative by selectively cracking calcium deposits without causing excessive trauma to the vessel wall or generating significant heat. This enables safer stent deployment and improves procedural outcomes,” Dr. Sandeep said.
The procedure was performed under the guidance of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), an advanced intravascular imaging modality that provides detailed visualization of the extent, depth, and distribution of calcium within the artery.
“Using OCT, we can accurately assess complex calcified lesions and plan the intervention more effectively. The combination of OCT imaging and IVL technology makes the treatment of complex coronary blockages safer, quicker, and more predictable,” he added.
A key advantage of IVL is its ability to modify both superficial and deep calcium deposits, unlike many conventional technologies that primarily target superficial calcification. This capability significantly improves the success of coronary interventions in patients with severe arterial calcification.
Hospital officials stated that the successful use of Intravascular Lithotripsy at KIMS Saveera Hospital highlights the institution’s commitment to adopting advanced cardiac technologies and delivering world-class cardiovascular care to patients in the region.