Doctors conduct first orbital atherectomy, orbito-tripsy in J&K

Srinagar, May 03: Doctors at cardiology department of Govt. Super Specialty Hospital, GMC Jammu, has conducted the latest coronary calcium modulation therapy called Orbital Atherectomy and Orbito-tripsy for the first time in J&K and upper north India.
The procedure was conducted by a team of doctors, including senior cardiologist Dr Syed Maqbool. The patient, a 74 year male from Naushehra Rajouri, who had developed a major heart attack a couple of days back, was referred from a private center to GMC Jammu.
“His angiography done in the same peripheral center revealed massively calcified critical distal Left Main Coronary Artery (LMCA) disease, which can cause sudden death if not treated in time,” he said.
Dr Maqbool said the treatment of distal left main coronary artery disease with massive calcification usually warrants bypass surgery, but this patient was not willing and wanted an alternative therapy.
The clinical profile and angio graphic results of this patient were a goosebump feeling, but the patient had to be saved.
“After careful analysis, an IVUS (intravascular imaging modality to see coronary arteries from inside) guided PTCA /stenting with the help of orbital atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) was done successfully with quite a satisfactory result,” he said.
In cases with severe calcification in coronary arteries, the stents either do not cross or may not open properly, which can be detrimental. “Hence, these patients require some form of calcium modulation therapy to achieve better short and long-term results,” he said.
The oldest form of calcium modulation therapy is rotablation, which might fall short in vessels with larger diameter and calcium nodules.
“The newer forms of therapy called shock wave lithotripsy and orbital atherectomy, which either alone or if required in combination can be a game changer in such patients. This patient who had large diameter vessels and nodular calcium orbital atherectomy and shock wave lithotripsy were used in combination, which gave a result beyond imagination,” the cardiologist said.
Orbital Atherectomy, with the help of a diamond burr ablates the calcium into fine particles and creates micro fractures in the calcium, while as IVL sends shock waves and creates bigger fractures in calcium, both therapies at times can be complementary to each other.
“Both the Orbital atherectomy and the combination of orbital athetectomy and intravascular (shock wave) lithotripsy known as Orbito-tripsy have been done for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir and Orbito tripsy for the first time in upper north India,” he said.
The procedure was done by a team of doctors, including Dr Syed Maqbool, Dr Dharminder Kumar, and Dr Sanjeev Bhat. The patient was discharged on the 2nd day in good health.