Chonnam National University Hospital Succeeds in Honam's First Coronary IntraVascular Lithotripsy Procedure

The Cardiovascular Intervention Team of Chonnam National University Hospital's Department of Cardiology completed the first coronary artery lithotripsy procedure in the Honam region on the 7th and took a commemorative photo after moving the patient to the recovery room. Photo by Chonnam National University Hospital

Chonnam National University Hospital announced on May 20 that it had performed the first 'Coronary IntraVascular Lithotripsy (IVL)' procedure in the Honam region to remove calcified lesions during coronary intervention.

The Cardiovascular Intervention Team of the Department of Cardiology at Chonnam National University Hospital (Ahn Youngkeun, Kim Juhan, Hong Youngjun, Shim Duseon, Kim Mincheol, Lee Seunghun, Hyun Daeyong, Ahn Junho, Lim Yonghwan, and Oh Seok) successfully performed the procedure without complications on two patients with coronary artery disease accompanied by severe calcified lesions, which could not be treated with conventional methods, on May 7.

'Coronary IntraVascular Lithotripsy' is a procedure in which, prior to placing a stent to widen a narrowed coronary artery, a special catheter is used to emit acoustic pressure pulses that fragment the lesion when there is a high degree of calcification.

In cases of severe coronary artery calcification, the stent inserted into the coronary artery may not expand properly, leading to poor surgical outcomes. For this reason, 'Coronary IntraVascular Lithotripsy' uses a catheter-mounted energy generator to create high-pressure acoustic waves that produce microfractures in the calcified coronary lesion, breaking it apart.

'Coronary IntraVascular Lithotripsy' is considered advantageous because, compared to conventional treatments such as atherectomy or high-pressure balloon angioplasty, it carries a lower risk of side effects such as vascular injury and rupture, while also reducing procedural complexity and shortening procedure time.

Since being approved by the US FDA in 2021, 'Coronary IntraVascular Lithotripsy' has been spreading mainly in advanced countries such as North America and Europe. In Korea, the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency designated it as a new medical technology on April 31.

Professor Ahn Youngkeun of the Cardiovascular Intervention Team at the Department of Cardiology stated, "By newly introducing Coronary IntraVascular Lithotripsy, we can now offer a wider range of treatment options to patients with severe calcified coronary artery disease."

Meanwhile, the Department of Cardiology at Chonnam National University Hospital not only performs more than 2,000 coronary interventions annually but also leads the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry study.