[Initial studies of the possibility of selective ablation of arteriosclerotic vascular changes using laser-induced...

We studied the effect of laser-induced shock waves in 94 arterial segments from freshly obtained autopsy material. In analogy to the well-established method of shock-wave based lithotripsy, the new principle of our treatment depends on an indirect interaction of the laser energy with the arterial wall via laser-induced mechanical shock waves (angiotripsy). We used a Nd:YAG laser, 1064 nm, 8-20 ns pulse-length to create shock waves that effected smooth craters in arteriosclerotically affected arteries. The histological examination found no thermal damage. Shock waves applied to the healthy and normal arterial wall only resulted in focal intimal ablation and in a minor loosening of the medial structures. The examination of the irrigation solution by means of a laser-guided, high-resolution analysis of the particles revealed that, in 97%, the particles created by our shock wave angiotripsy showed a diameter of less than 5 mm and an area of less than 25 mm2. Based on these first in vitro results, it seems possible to ablate arteriosclerotically affected tissue without significant damage to normal wall segments. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to evaluate the clinical implications of this new therapeutic approach.