Via Christi is participating in a national clinical trial evaluating a new treatment for patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD). The trial, part of Abbott’s TECTONIC Coronary IVL Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study, aims to assess a less invasive method for treating hardened plaque in heart arteries. The first patient in the study was successfully treated at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis by Dr. Bassem Chehab, an interventional cardiologist.

CAD affects more than 20 million adults in the U.S. and is the nation’s leading cause of death. It occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries, restricting blood flow to the heart. Traditional treatments for severely calcified arteries include mechanical methods like cutting balloons or atherectomy devices. Abbott’s investigational Coronary Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) System offers a new approach, using targeted sound waves to break up calcium deposits. This technique may improve artery expansion and stent placement outcomes.