Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) introduced at Sveti Stefan hospital in Ohrid
New IVL service at Sveti Stefan hospital aims to treat deep arterial calcifications with a minimally invasive balloon-catheter technique.
The Specialized Hospital for Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Diseases "Sveti Stefan" in Ohrid has introduced intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), a minimally invasive technique for treating heavy calcifications in peripheral arteries.
The clinical team is led by Dr. Dejan Manchevski, head of the Department for Percutaneous Arterial Invasive Procedures. This is the third new procedure introduced at the institution in the past year.
How the procedure works and who it helps
IVL is applied to patients with advanced peripheral arterial disease when calcium deposits make standard interventions difficult. A specialized balloon catheter transmits acoustic pulses that fragment calcium deposits, allowing the artery to expand more effectively and enabling more precise stent placement when needed.
Staff at the cardiology center say the method can reach deep-seated calcifications within the arterial wall while causing less mechanical trauma to the blood vessel compared with some conventional techniques.
With the addition of IVL technology, the hospital expands its interventional options for treating patients with complex peripheral arterial disease, offering an alternative for cases that were previously difficult to manage.
Photo: press material from the event
