Medical Center selected for new treatment procedure Published March 10, 2014 By Steve Pivnick 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Keesler Medical Center is one of only 25 medical treatment facilities in the nation selected as a site for a new coronary artery disease (CAD) treatment procedure. The "Diamondback 360® Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System" (OAS) uses a diamond-tipped orbiting drill that sands away calcium in severely-calcified coronary arteries, enabling stent placement. As the crown rotates and orbit increases, centrifugal force presses the crown against the lesion, reducing arterial calcium, while healthy tissue flexes away. The Cardiac Catheterization Lab staff here will perform their first OAS procedure March 12, said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Steve Kindsvater, commander of the 81st Medical Operations Squadron Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Flight, "The company (St. Paul, Minn.-based Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.) selected a limited number of 'centers of excellence' around the U.S. as platforms to launch the treatment," Kindsvater explained. "Keesler Medical Center is proud to be able to offer this new treatment to our military and VA beneficiaries." Information provided by the company noted OAS "uses a patented combination of differential sanding and centrifugal force to reduce arterial calcium that can cause complications when treating CAD, a life-threatening condition. Arterial calcium is a common occurrence and can lead to significant complications, with moderate to severe arterial calcium present in nearly 40 percent of patients undergoing stent procedures in the U.S." "Keesler Medical Center is at the leading edge of innovative cardiac care, and selected the revolutionary technology based on studies of its safety and effectiveness in treating severely calcified coronary lesions," Kindsvater said. "The Diamondback 360 Coronary OAS provides our patients undergoing stenting with the first evidence-based option approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for this difficult-to-treat patient population." Kindsvater noted, "Coronary artery disease is a life-threatening condition and leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. CAD occurs when a fatty material - plaque - builds up on the walls of arteries that supply blood to the heart. The plaque buildup causes the arteries to harden and narrow (atherosclerosis), reducing blood flow. The risk of CAD increases if a person has one or more of the following: high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, diabetes or family history of early heart disease." According to the American Heart Association, 16.3 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with CAD, the most common form of heart disease that claims more than 600,000 lives annually. Significant calcium contributes to poor outcomes and higher treatment costs in coronary interventions when traditional therapies are used, including a significantly higher occurrence of death and major adverse cardiac events.