Southern New Hampshire Health (SNHH) is now offering an innovative new technology that can safely and effectively fracture resistant calcium blockages in a patient’s coronary arteries. The technology, called Shockwave, makes it possible for patients to return home the same day of their procedure.
“This is revolutionary for the interventional treatment of coronary artery disease – the most common type of heart disease,” says Paul Croteau, RN, Director of Cardiology and Respiratory Services at SNNH. “It’s an easy-to-use and safe way to significantly improve patient outcomes.”
The Shockwave IVL (Intravascular Lithotripsy) system uses sonic pressure waves to fracture challenging calcium buildup in coronary arteries, while minimizing trauma to a patient’s vessel wall. It will be used when the buildup of calcium in a patient’s arteries is too severe for a typical stent procedure alone to open up the artery. Until the availability of Shockwave IVL, the only option to break up that type of calcified plaque was using a small drill, placed in a catheter – a procedure that required an overnight stay.
“Shockwave has given our team a new, extremely safe and effective tool,” says Dr. Fabian Reimold, MD, PhD, of Foundation Cardiology at Southern New Hampshire Health.
The sonic pressure waves generated by IVL can crack calcium in only a few pulses, significantly reducing the risk of complications, making procedures more predictable and efficient, and facilitating cardiac stent delivery, deployment, and optimal expansion. Most patients also are able to go home the same day of the procedure.
“Shockwave allows us to treat more patients in Nashua, rather than having to transfer them to tertiary care facilities,” says Dr. Paul Boffetti, MD, FACC, also of Foundation Cardiology.
The FDA recently recognized the Shockwave IVL as a breakthrough device.
“We’re proud to be able to offer our patients the most advanced technologies to provide them with the best in cardiac care,” says Shannon Soucy, RT(R), RCIS, RN, Clinical Manager.
For more information about Foundation Cardiology and our providers, visit
SNHHealth.org/Cardiology.