[Excimer laser angioplasty in arterial obstructive disease. Clinical experience with guidewire-controlled catheter...

Percutaneous transluminal laser angioplasties (PTLA) were performed in nine patients (7 males, 2 females, aged 52-81 years) with peripheral vascular disease, stages IIB-IV (Fontaine's classification), with 75% stenosis (5 patients) or occlusion (4 patients) in the area of the superficial femoral artery. Two catheter systems were used. One was a monofiber catheter (600 microns) with eccentric guidewire, the other a multifiber catheter with 12 concentrically arranged fibres (200 microns each) and a central guidewire. An XeCl-excimer laser (308 nm), with a pulse duration of 50 ns and pulse frequency of 15-30 Hz, served as the laser source. It was possible in all patients to reduce the stenosis of 75-100% to 35-70% or reopen the occlusion without laser-associated complications. To remove the residual stenosis PTLA was followed by balloon dilatation in seven patients and by application of a Simpson atherectomy catheter in one patient: these measures reduced the degree of stenosis to 20-40%.