Atherectomy is a catheter-based procedure to remove plaque from the artery arteries. A catheter is introduced into an artery in the leg and guided into the coronary artery. On the tip of the catheter is either a high-speed rotating device (“burr”), or a sharp blade. The burr grinds the plaque into minute particles, while the blade shaves the plaque away. Following this procedure, a balloon angioplasty or stent may also be performed. An atherectomy is useful in cases where the plaque is very hard due to calcification, plaque has built up in a coronary artery bypass graft, or to remove of other difficult blockages.