What type of procedure is being performed when a surgeon requests a Fogarty catheter to remove plaque from a blood vessel?

The procedure being performed when a surgeon requests a Fogarty catheter to remove plaque from a blood vessel is an embolectomy. A Fogarty catheter is specifically designed for the removal of emboli—material such as thrombus or plaque that occludes blood flow in vessels. During an embolectomy, the catheter is introduced into the vessel to facilitate the removal of this obstruction.

Embolectomy is distinct from other procedures in that it directly addresses the removal of the obstructive material itself. While angioplasty involves widening the lumen of a blood vessel through the placement of a balloon, bypass surgery reroutes blood flow around a narrowed or blocked vessel, and thrombectomy refers to the removal of a thrombus but typically does not target plaque directly as embolectomy does. Hence, the use of a Fogarty catheter specifically signifies that an embolectomy is being performed to address the plaque obstruction effectively.