title: [Rationale for coronary recanalization using transluminal atherectomy].
abstract: Although balloon angioplasty represented a significant advance in the treatment of coronary artery disease, this procedure is limited by acute occlusion and late restenosis. Among the new devices proposed to overcome the limitations of balloon catheters, Simpson's atherocath has the unique property of removing the atherosclerotic plaques from the coronary wall. Size and stiffness of the terminal portion limit the use of the atherocath to the proximal, non tortuous portion of coronary vessels more than 2.5 mm in size. Studies comparing atherectomy with balloon angioplasty have demonstrated a greater acute luminal gain with atherectomy but have failed to prove a clinical advantage from this better initial results. Atherectomy however is a rapidly evolving technology: better devices and more aggressive dilating strategies could significantly modify the conclusions of the earlier studies. In the meantime atherectomy is providing a unique opportunity to study vascular wall pathology.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica del CNR, Università degli Studi, Pisa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marzilli
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017225:Atherectomy, Coronary / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans
vernacular_title: Razionale della ricanalizzazione coronarica mediante aterectomia transluminale.