Commentary: coronary interventions--overview of a 16-year odyssey based on pathoanatomy: angioplasty, atherectomy, and calcifectomy.

Abstract

The last 16 years have seen the development of a variety of coronary interventional procedures based on pathoanatomy. New terms have been introduced, such as atherectomy for excision of atheroma. Coronary calcification occurs in the intima and is an important marker of significant coronary artery disease. Echocardiography of the coronary arteries can detect atheroma and calcification. Ultrafast computed tomography can quantify extent of coronary calcium. New devices, such as the rotablator, can specifically treat calcified lesions, and a lesion-specific approach is now possible. The removal of atheroma is called atherectomy. The removal of calcium is called calcifectomy. New procedures spawn new terms. Atherectomy and calcifectomy complement each other, and enable us to be specific about the pathoanatomy and the matched interventional device used. This article is an overview of the evolution of lesion-specific devices and the terminologies pertaining to their use.