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Directional coronary atherectomy: a new treatment for coronary artery disease
S L Borriello1, S C Siegel, R F Fishman
1Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA 02215.
Insights
Directional Coronary Atherectomy (DCA) offers a safe and effective treatment for select coronary artery disease patients. This procedure shows a low incidence of complications and a slightly lower restenosis rate than balloon angioplasty.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Interventional Cardiology
- Nursing Education
Background:
- Directional Coronary Atherectomy (DCA) was developed to address limitations of conventional balloon angioplasty.
- DCA is now FDA-approved as a safe and effective treatment for specific coronary artery disease patients.
Background:
Directional Coronary Atherectomy (DCA) was developed to overcome the deficiencies and limitations of conventional balloon angioplasty. Now with FDA approval, DCA has been proved to be a safe and effective treatment alternative for coronary artery disease in a select group of patients.
Objective:
To provide critical care nurses with a comprehensive overview of DCA and the associated nursing implications.
Patients:
Patients selected to receive DCA were those who showed evidence of myocardial ischemia (positive exercise stress test or symptoms), were free of significant peripheral vascular disease, and were candidates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Additional selection criteria was based on the detailed coronary anatomy.
Design/Setting:
A review of one direct experience of more than 200 patients treated with DCA in a university-affiliated hospital.
Conclusion:
DCA appears to be a valuable alternative for the treatment of select coronary lesions. DCA appears to have a low incidence of dissection and abrupt closure and a restenosis rate slightly lower than conventional balloon angioplasty.