New Capabilities in Laser Angioplasty

A study conducted by researchers at the Montreal Heart Institute (Quebec, Canada) and the Royal Jubilee Hospital (Victoria, Canada) has shown that the use of higher laser energy delivered through catheters can open blockages in coronary arteries that were previously untreatable with laser angioplasty. The study revealed a significant increase in the ability to open blockages without an increase in complications.

The study involved 36 patients with high-grade lesions (greater than or equal to 80% blockages) with evidence of calcification, chronic total occlusions traversable by a guidewire, or high-grade lesions that had previously failed balloon angioplasty. Initially, the procedure used by the researchers was to attempt treatment using excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) at normal laser parameters of 60 fluence, 40 hertz (60/40). If necessary, the laser parameters were raised to 60/80 and then to 80/80. After treatment, the arteries were ballooned and stented.

Blockages were opened in 26 of the 36 patients using normal parameters and in eight patients using higher laser parameters, for an overall success rate of 94%. The excimer laser system used was developed by Spectranetics Corp. (Colorado Springs, CO, USA). The system uses disposable fiberoptic catheters for delivering ultraviolet light in controlled energy pulses to ablate occlusions.



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