A buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries is a symptom of coronary artery disease, and can cause blockage that prevents blood flow to the heart muscle and the rest of the body. It can lead to angina, or chest pain and discomfort, and may cause a heart attack.

Coronary atherectomy is a minimally invasive procedure where Lakewood Surgery Center cardiologists, serving The Villages, Leesburg, Wildwood and areas throughout Lake County, Sumter County and Marion County, use a catheter to insert a device that shaves the plaque inside the artery and opens the blockage. 

The patient is awake during the procedure but is be sedated for comfort. 

The catheter is inserted through the groin area which has been numbed by local anesthesia. After the specialist confirms the blockage location using an X-ray, the cutting device is inserted. The device spins to cut away the plaque and the excised plaque is stored in a section of the catheter which is removed at the end of the procedure. 

The procedure does not remove all the plaque, so in most cases, the Lakewood cardiologist will also insert a balloon or stent that inflates as the artery opens and will remain in the coronary artery. 

At the end of the procedure, the Lakewood Surgery Center specialist will inject dye through the catheter and takes an X-ray to check for change in the arteries. The catheter is then removed, and the procedure is complete. 

In most cases, the patient will be able to go home that day and can resume normal activity.