Delray Medical Center and vascular surgeon, Dr. Joseph Ricotta, are the first hospital and physician in South Florida to use the SEISMIQ™ Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) system from Boston Scientific, a therapy that supports physicians in treating patients with complex calcified peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Innovative Treatments at Delray Medical Center
PAD is a common circulatory condition in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, most often in the legs. In many advanced cases, plaque buildup in the arteries becomes calcified, making the arteries stiff and harder to treat with traditional tools. These hardened calcium deposits can prevent balloons or stents from expanding properly, making procedures less effective and more difficult to perform.
The SEISMIQ IVL system is a next-generation technology that uses laser-generated acoustic pressure waves to fracture hardened calcium within the wall of the artery. By breaking up the calcium, the SEISMIQ IVL system helps prepare the vessel for further treatment, such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement.
These challenges are especially significant in patients with advanced PAD, where restoring blood flow to the lower limbs is essential for wound healing and limb preservation. The SEISMIQ IVL system is designed to modify both superficial and deep calcium, improving vessel function and enabling physicians to perform more predictable procedures without damaging soft tissue.
“The SEISMIQ IVL system represents a meaningful advancement in our ability to treat patients with lesions that are difficult to modify. It allows us to address calcium more precisely and safely, ultimately better preparing vessels for procedures,” said Dr. Ricotta, National Medical Director of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy for Tenet Healthcare, Professor of Surgery and Vascular Surgery Fellowship Program Director at Florida Atlantic University’s School of Medicine, and founder of the Prime Vascular Institute. “This is another tool in our toolbelt to provide patients with the best chance at a good outcome so they can get back faster to doing the things that they love.”
The SEISMIQ IVL system is designed to support more precise energy delivery, enabling a high level of control for physicians when treating various types of calcified lesions. The system allows users to activate specific emitters along the catheter’s length to tailor therapy based on lesion location and severity. This emitter-level control, combined with consistent acoustic pressure and real-time feedback, helps physicians make real time adjustments as needed during the procedure for more effective lesion preparation.
IVL has become an important tool in the treatment of calcified lesions, offering an alternative to traditional plaque modification techniques. Across the industry, it’s recognized for delivering high success rates, low complication risks and improvements in quality of life for patients with challenging calcified lesions, particularly those with critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). The therapy is associated with high success rates, low complication risks and improved long-term outcomes by enabling better stent expansion, enhanced drug delivery and more consistent results.1
The SEISMIQ IVL system has already been evaluated in two clinical trials for the treatment of PAD and is now being investigated for coronary applications. It is currently indicated for lithotripsy-enhanced balloon dilation of calcified lesions in the peripheral vasculature, including iliac, femoral iliofemoral, popliteal and infra-popliteal arteries. It is not currently intended for use in coronary arteries, nor the carotid or cerebral vasculature.
Dr. Ricotta’s expertise in the vascular surgery field has earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious TCAR Clinical Operator of Excellence distinction from Silk Road Medical in 2020, an award recognizing top physicians for superior outcomes in TCAR procedures. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Ricotta has also been repeatedly recognized as a National Top Doctor by Castle Connolly, voted one of America’s Best Vascular Surgeons and #1 in Florida by Newsweek Magazine, and has contributed more than 300 peer-reviewed articles to medical literature. More here.
