Which procedure is used to physically remove plaque using a device?

• A. Atherectomy
• B. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
• C. Bare-metal stent deployment
• D. Thrombectomy

Answer: (A)

The main concept is procedures that physically remove plaque from a vessel using a device. Atherectomy does exactly that: catheter-based tools actually shave, cut, drill, or vaporize plaque so debris is removed and the lumen is debulked. Different approaches—directional or rotational cutters, laser, or orbital devices—are designed to remove plaque rather than just compress it or scaffold the vessel. In contrast, balloon angioplasty expands the vessel by pushing plaque aside with a balloon, which doesn’t remove material. Deploying a bare-metal stent provides a scaffold to keep the artery open after angioplasty, again without removing plaque. Thrombectomy focuses on removing a clot, not the atherosclerotic plaque itself.