"Buddy wire" technique to overcome proximal coronary tortuosity during rotational atherectomy.

We report a case in which rotational atherectomy was planned for the treatment of a severely calcified obstructive lesion in the middle right coronary artery. Severe proximal vessel tortuosity prevented the advancement of the Rotablator burr. We utilized the "buddy wire" technique, allowing facilitated advancement of the Rotablator and successful atherectomy and stenting. We propose this old technique as an alternative method to allow advancement of the Rotablator burr through tortuous and calcified vessels.