Raipur: At the Advanced Cardiac Institute of state-run Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, affiliated with Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College, the Cardiology Department introduced a new treatment technique called Coronary Orbital Atherectomy. This advanced procedure successfully cleared calcium deposits from the arteries of two heart patients, improving blood flow in the heart, according to Dr Smit Srivastava.
Orbital Atherectomy is used before angioplasty to open calcified blockages (plaques). The technique uses a 1.25 mm diamond-coated drill device that breaks down calcium into fine particles as small as two microns. In simple terms, it pulverises calcium into fine particles, cleaning the arteries and ensuring smooth blood flow. This method is particularly effective for patients with heavily calcified coronary arteries.
In this procedure, a rotating diamond-coated burr is inserted into the artery through a thin catheter. It grinds down the calcified surface and smoothens the arterial wall, ensuring easier blood flow and reducing the risk of heart attacks.
Dr Santosh Sonkar, Superintendent of Ambedkar Hospital, congratulated the team on the successful treatment. He noted that this new facility at ACI is a significant achievement in govt hospitals and offers new hope for heart patients. The innovative efforts by ACI’s cardiology team are paving the way for a better quality of life for patients.
The treatment team included Cardiologist Dr Smit Srivastava, Assistant Professors Dr Kunal Ostwal and Dr Shiv Kumar Sharma, Junior Doctor Dr Prateek Gupta, and Anaesthesia specialists Dr Jaya Lalwani, Dr Amrita Jain, and Dr Naveen Tiwari.
Dr Smit Srivastava shared detailed information about the two cases. In the first case, a 77-year-old patient from Raipur with co-morbid conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes had severely reduced heart pumping capacity. Angiography revealed significant calcium deposits in the left main artery and three other arteries. Normal angioplasty was not feasible. Using Orbital Atherectomy, the calcium was removed, and angioplasty was performed successfully.
In the second case, a 68-year-old patient from Bhilai had heavy calcium deposits in the arteries. Angiography conducted at another hospital suggested bypass surgery. The patient approached ACI, where Orbital Atherectomy was used to remove calcium from the heavily calcified left main artery, followed by successful angioplasty. The patient recovered in a day and returned home.
Dr Kunal Ostwal, Assistant Professor of Cardiology, explained that Orbital Atherectomy involves inserting a thin catheter with a rotating diamond-coated burr into the artery. This burr spins 360 degrees, scraping and grinding away the calcified deposits inside the arteries. By breaking the calcium into extremely small particles, it creates a smooth arterial surface, allowing easier angioplasty and stent placement while reducing the risk of complications. This technique is especially useful in cases where normal angioplasty or stenting is not feasible. The tiny calcium particles are naturally expelled through the capillaries in the arteries.
