Atherectomy may be done to improve blood flow to your heart. During this procedure, a catheter with a special grinding device is used. This device clears away the plaque in your blocked artery.

First, cardiac catheterization is done. Next, a catheter is put into the blocked artery. A guide wire is then put through the guiding catheter. This wire is moved to the narrowed spot in your artery. The doctor watches the wire on the video screen.

A special atherectomy catheter is threaded over the guidewire. The catheter is moved to the narrowed part of your artery. The atherectomy catheter has a coarse burr near its tip. This doctor uses this burr to grind the plaque into small bits. These bits float away in the bloodstream.

After the atherectomy, the doctor may do a balloon angioplasty. This compresses any remaining plaque against the artery wall. Also, a stent may be placed. The catheters and guide wire are then removed. With the plaque reduced, blood flow to the heart muscle increases.