Methods and devices for performing intravascular endarterectomy. Methods includes intravascularly advancing a catheter having a carbon dioxide delivering distal end past a plaque-occluded vessel site, passing the distal end between the plaque and vessel wall. Other methods include intravascularly advancing paddles between plaque and vessel walls, including ultrasonic imaging paddles, ultrasonic vibrating paddles, and mechanically vibrating paddles. Some methods include providing intravascular devices having radially expandable jaws or paddles, and advancing those jaws or paddles along vessel walls to separate plaque from vessel walls. Still other methods include providing an anchoring guide catheter adapted to establish a suction grip around the left coronary artery ostium, and to use the anchored guide catheter to support intravascularly introduced endarterectomy devices operating on plaque in the left main coronary artery. One method utilizes retroperfusion of the coronary arteries to allow the anchoring guide catheter to remain in position for longer periods. Scissors-type expanding devices and stents for use after endarterectomy procedures are also provided.
