Experimental Investigation of the Material Removal Rate in Grinding of Calcified Plaque by Rotational Atherectomy

Abstract

Abstract Rotational atherectomy (RA) utilizes a high-speed, metal-bonded diamond-abrasive grinding wheel to remove the calcified atherosclerotic plaque inside arteries, restore blood flow, and treat cardiovascular diseases. RA operational guidelines have been clinically investigated to improve clinical outcomes and reduce complication rates, but are still in lack of consensus. Particularly, the effect of the grinding wheel rotational speed on plaque material removal rate (MRR) is unclear. This study experimentally investigates the RA MRR over a range of wheel rotational speeds based on a vascular simulator with a calcified plaque surrogate. The MRR, presented as the luminal area gain, with the increase of the number of grinding passes, was measured at the rotational speed of 120,000, 150,000, and 180,000 rpm. The luminal area was characterized via microscopy and image processing. The ground surface morphology and surface roughness at different rotational speeds were investigated. The results showed that a higher rotational speed led to a higher MRR and a smoother ground surface. This observation is significant for RA clinical guideline improvement.