HIGH-SPEED ROTATIONAL CORONARY ATHERECTOM Y

High-speed rotational coronary atherectomy is an alternative method to treat complex, especially calcified coronary stenoses. A rotating bur r tip removes the occlusive plaque tissue. The applied rotating freque ncy is between 160 000 to 190 000 rpm. The primary technical success-r ate for high frequency rotational atherectomy alone yields between 50 to 60% on avererage. Associated with consecutive additional balloon an gioplasty, the success rate is between 80 and 95% when treating comple x type B II or C stenoses. Today, the usage of a single burr tip size with adjunctive balloon angioplasty has become a standard procedure. T he occurrence of serious complications such as extensive dissections o r thrombotic vessel occlusion is a rare phenomenon after highspeed rot ational atherectomy compared to coronary ballon angioplasty, whereas c oronary spasm is more common after high-speed rotational atherectomy. According to the actual results, high-speed rotational angioplasty did not lower the rate of longterm restenosis, compared to the results ac hieved by balloon angioplasty alone. The rate of long-term restenosis is reported to be between 40 to 50% after highspeed rotational angiopl asty with or without adjunctive balloon angioplasty.