Percutaneous laser thermal angioplasty: initial clinical results with a laser probe in total peripheral artery occlusions

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 1; no. 8496; p. 1457
• Main Authors: Cumberland, D C, Sanborn, T A, Tayler, D I, Moore, D J, Welsh, C L, Greenfield, A J, Guben, J K, Ryan, T J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 28-06-1986
• Subjects: Aged; Angioplasty, Balloon - adverse effects; Angioplasty, Balloon - methods; Arterial Occlusive Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Arterial Occlusive Diseases - therapy; Female; Femoral Artery - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Iliac Artery - diagnostic imaging; Laser Therapy; Lasers - adverse effects; Popliteal Artery - diagnostic imaging; Radiography
• ISSN: 0140-6736

A metal-tipped laser fibre was used during percutaneous angioplasty of femoral/popliteal or iliac artery occlusions in 56 patients. Primary success was achieved in 50 (89%) of these total occlusions, providing a channel for subsequent balloon dilatation. Before the procedure, 18 lesions had been judged untreatable by conventional angioplasty and four of the six failures were in these. Complications directly attributable to the laser probe were one case of vessel perforation and two cases of entry into vessel walls; these had no sequelae. Other acute complications were a distal thrombosis in a non-heparinised patient, requiring local streptokinase treatment, and two reocclusions and one transient peripheral embolic episode in the first 24 hours. The laser probe technique has potential for increasing the proportion of patients suitable for angioplasty.