title: Atherectomy for calcified coronary lesions: When and how?
abstract: Percutaneous coronary intervention of heavily calcified lesions can be challenging. Although the ROTAXUS trial did not demonstrate long-term clinical benefit with routine rotational atherectomy, atherectomy remains an indispensable tool to achieve acute procedural success. Until new data becomes available determining when and how to optimally use coronary atherectomy depends heavily on personal experience and clinical judgment.
authors.affiliation: VA North Texas Healthcare System and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karatasakis
authors.affiliation: VA North Texas Healthcare System and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Emmanouil S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Brilakis
mesh_terms: D017073:Atherectomy; D017225:Atherectomy, Coronary; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome