Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty: Clinical Applications and Procedural Outcome, in a Large-Volume Tertiary Centre

Excimer-laser coronary angioplasty can be used to modify undilatable and uncrossable lesions in native arteries and in-stent restenosis which are increasingly encountered with the ageing population undergoing coronary intervention. We present our laser experience over a 10-year period in a large cardiac tertiary centre.

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on all procedures where laser was used from August 2008 to December 2019. Clinical presentation, demographics, and procedural details were all recorded. Successful procedures were defined as <30% stenosis at the end. Periprocedural and in-hospital complications were recorded and verified. Results are presented as numbers and percentages.

A total of 331 patients were identified with 473 lesions treated with laser and an overall total of 637 lesions. Of the 473 lesions treated, 46 (9.9%) were in-stent restenosis, 146 (30.9%) were chronic total occlusions, and the rest were uncrossable or undilatable lesions. The vast majority of procedures (97.0%) were performed with the 0.9-mm laser catheter. The overall success rate was 81.6% (58-87%) from low- to high-volume user. Complications included dissection 3 (0.6%), no-reflow 3 (0.6%), coronary perforation 13 (2.7%), and tamponade in 1 (0.2%). Only 3 (0.6%) of the perforations were seen after the laser catheter passage, the rest were seen later following balloon preparation or stent insertion.

Laser is a valuable tool for treating complex and resistant coronary lesions. Its efficacy and safety are well established and when applied appropriately, it helps to achieve optimal outcomes for our patients.