Atherectomy is a treatment alternative for coronary artery disease when the obstructing lesion is fairly short in length and the vessel segment is relatively straight. It involves the use of a catheter-based device that has a tiny cutting blade on its tip and a balloon to anchor and stabilize the device once it is positioned at the treatment site. When activated, the cutting blade actually shaves through the obstruction, while debris is collected inside a chamber in the catheter. The blade is then repositioned, and more cuts are made, leading to removal of significant amounts of plaque (debris).