Principles of Intravascular Lithotripsy for Calcific Plaque Modification

JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2021 Jun 28;14(12):1275-1292. doi: 10.1016/j.jcin.2021.03.036.

Abstract

A significant proportion of lesions treated with transcatheter interventions in the coronary and peripheral vascular beds exhibit moderate to severe calcific plaques known to portend lower procedural success rates, increased peri-procedural adverse events, and unfavorable clinical outcomes compared with noncalcific plaques. Adapted from lithotripsy technology used for treatment of ureterorenal calculi, intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a novel technique for the treatment of severely calcific plaque lesions that uses acoustic shockwaves in a balloon-based delivery system. Shockwaves induce calcium fractures, which facilitate stent expansion and luminal gain. In this review, the authors summarize the physics, preclinical and clinical data on IVL use in the coronary and peripheral vasculature, and future directions of IVL in transcatheter cardiovascular therapies.

Keywords: calcification; coronary artery disease; intravascular lithotripsy; peripheral artery disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Coronary Artery Disease* / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronary Artery Disease* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Lithotripsy*
  • Stents
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vascular Calcification* / diagnostic imaging
  • Vascular Calcification* / therapy