The new Shockwave IVL system is based on the lithotripsy technology that has been used in urology for more than 30 years
The Times
St. Mary Medical Center is the first in Bucks County and among the first in the region to offer peripheral intravascular lithotripsy to treat and open arteries in the legs that are blocked by severe calcium deposits.
The new Shockwave IVL (intravascular lithotripsy) system is based on the lithotripsy technology that has been used in urology for more than 30 years as a safe and effective procedure to break up calcified kidney stones. The IVL technology is a miniaturized lithotripsy device that provides localized treatment for severe calcium buildup within the artery vessel wall. The device uses a balloon-catheter delivery system to produce high-speed sonic pressure waves that pass through soft tissue to selectively break up hardened calcified plaque inside the vessel. Shockwave IVL technology is designed to improve outcomes for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who have severely calcified vessels.
Dr. David Drucker, an interventional cardiologist at St. Mary who specializes in peripheral vascular procedures, successfully performed the first intravascular lithotripsy procedure June 4, on a 76-year-old man with a history of symptomatic PAD.
“This is potentially a ground-breaking technology that may offer a significant treatment advantage to patients with severe vascular calcification,” Drucker said. “It’s exciting to be able to offer a new and minimally invasive option for such a serious and technically challenging condition.”
Balloon angioplasty, which involves inflating a balloon within the artery at the area of narrowing and expanding the artery to alleviate the blockage, is commonly used to treat PAD. Specialized cutting, rotational and high-pressure catheters traditionally used in balloon angioplasty are not always effective in treating and breaking up complex calcified lesions located within the arterial wall. Effectively treating this calcified plaque may be important in optimizing outcomes for patients being treated with drug-coated balloons or implantable stents. The new IVL technology allows physicians to tackle the most challenging calcified lesions while potentially reducing serious complications experienced with other advanced plaque-modification devices.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common and growing problem of an aging population, affecting about one in 20 Americans over the age of 50. PAD is characterized by patients with leg pain and/or open wounds and can lead to amputation and shorter life expectancy.
The IVL technology is FDA approved only for use in peripheral vessels (legs), not for coronary or cerebral vessels. Severe calcified lesions which would benefit from the lithotripsy procedure occur in about 10 percent of patients with PAD. Patients diagnosed with PAD who experience leg pain or open wounds should consult with an interventional cardiologist, interventional radiologist or vascular surgeon about the suitability of this treatment for them.
