Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) proves life-changing for patient with severely calcified coronary arteries. SUPPLIED

An Emirati woman's life has been saved after a hospital in the UAE used shockwave technology to spare her from undergoing open-heart surgery. The medical team at RAK Hospital successfully used intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) to save 69-year-old Khadijeh Abdollah, who arrived at the hospital with severe chest pain, and had difficulty in walking due to a severely calcified coronary artery. The patient also had complex medical history including diabetes, high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and a previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedure. Considering her medical background, open-heart surgery poses a significant risk. The build-up of calcium in arteries, known as calcification, can present issues for patients like Khadijeh, making standard stenting procedures difficult, and if left untreated, can lead to heart attacks or heart failure. During the angioplasty procedure at RAK Hospital, the team encountered issues that prevented the placement of stents, and used the innovative intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) technology. IVL offers a non-invasive alternative to open-heart surgery by using sonic waves to create controlled fractures in calcium deposits within artery walls, allowing stents to expand effectively. Unlike traditional methods involving abrasive catheter tips, IVL minimizes the risk of complications such as vessel damage or perforation. Dr. Raza Siddiqui, executive director of RAK Hospital, emphasized the significance of IVL in interventional cardiology, stating, "Cardiac disease stands as the leading cause of death. Nearly half of these fatalities strike suddenly, with a majority arising from severe coronary blockages. The IVL technology emerges as a genuine game changer in interventional cardiology, particularly for patients grappling with stubborn calcium buildup resistant to conventional treatments like inflatable balloons and atherectomy." KKL/Expat Media
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