Abstract

Laser angioplasty is an alternative to the established balloon angioplasty techniques for the treatment of stenotic lesions and short occlusions in arterial disease. Because it does not require the lesion to be traversed, laser angioplasty, in some cases, offers treatment of longer occlusions; but in this situation the risk of complications is high,¹ arising from intimal dissection through the lack of appropriate guidance during the angioplasty procedure. Laser energy is able to burn through healthy tissue just as effectively as through atherosclerotic plaque.

© 1994 IEEE