Laser angioplasty in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease

Compared with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), the ablation of atherosclerotic tissue by laser energy promises advantages in the treatment of atherosclerotic vascular disease in the peripheral arteries. In the last few years, the basic clinical feasibility has been demonstrated. By development of different lasers and light transmitting devices even the safety of laser energy applied intraluminally has been improved, but to date, no gold standard of laser angioplasty has been defined. Many technological hurdles are still to be overcome and some specific laser-associated problems, especially the high incidence of perforations, has to be resolved before routine application is possible. The future of lasers in vascular diseases seems promising, but there is still a long way to go before reaching maturation.