Coronary perforation after excimer laser coronary angioplasty: The excimer laser coronary angioplasty registry experience

Objective. This study assessed the frequency of perforation with excimer coronary angioplasty.Background. Coronary artery perforation after conventional percutaneous trasluminal coronary angioplasty is extremely rare. Because laser coronary angioplasty involves actual tissue ablation, it has an Increased potential for perforation.Methods. All patients in the Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty Registry were included in this prospective study. Those who had a perforation related to the procedure were compared with those who did not have this complication.Results. Of 2,759 consecutive patients in the Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty Registry, 36 (1.3%) had perforation. In these patients, the left anterior descending coronary artery was the most frequently treated vessel (53%). There were no differences in fiber sizes between patients with and those without perforation. Among the patients with perforation, 36.1% required coronary artery bypass surgery, 16.7% experienced an infarction and 5.6% had a fatal outcome. Among the patients without perforation, the rates were 3.1%, 3.8% and 0.6%, respectively. However, 41.7% of the patients with documented coronary artery perforation did not need coronary artery bypass surgery or experience myocardial infarction or death. No angiographic characteristics distinguished lesions with from those without perforation. The frequency of coronary artery perforation declined over time with increasing operator experience, from 1.6% in the first 1,888 patients to only 0.4% in the last 1,000 patients (p = 0.002).Conclusions. With increasing operator experience, the rate of perforation with excimer laser coronary angioplasty has decreased. When perforation occurs, subsequent event rates increase.     

Excimer laser coronary angioplasty: American multicenter experience

Second generation angioplasty devices remove rather than displace atherosclerotic plaque. For such devices to be useful they must be capable of addressing the major problems not solved by balloon catheters: difficult anatomy, abrupt reclosure, and restenosis. Laser angioplasty systems have proven difficult to adapt to treatment of coronary artery disease, because of heat generation, problems with perforation, and inflexibility of optical fibers. The AIS excimer laser coronary angioplasty system couples a 308 nm pulsed excimer laser to multifiber over-the-wire catheters of 1.3 mm, 1.6 mm, and 2.0 mm diameters. The laser's uniquely long pulse width (250 ns) allows delivery of higher energies through smaller fibers. Because the catheter system is front firing, risk of perforation is reduced. The Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty Registry involves six institutions investigating the AIS excimer system. This report deals with 255 lesions in the first 210 patients in the registry. The study cohort resembles a standard angioplasty population in terms of demographics, symptomatology, vessels dilated, and complications. Unlike a standard PTCA cohort, the ELCA patients had a higher prevalence of chronic total occlusions, calcified lesions, long lesions and diffuse disease. Both very distal lesions and those that had previously failed PTCA were successfully treated with ELCA. The laser was successful in 85% of cases, but adjunctive balloon angioplasty was required in the majority. There were no instances of perforation.     

Sonotherapy, antirestenotic therapeutic ultrasound in coronary arteries: the first clinical experience.

We studied the safety and feasibility of intracoronary sonotherapy (IST) and its effect on the coronary vessel at 6 months. Thirty-seven patients with stable or unstable angina were included (40 lesions). The indication was de novo lesion (n = 26), restenosis (n = 2), in-stent restenosis (n = 11), and a total occlusion of a venous bypass graft. After successful angioplasty, IST was performed using a 5 Fr catheter with three serial ultrasound transducers operating at 1 MHz. IST was successfully performed in 36 lesions (success rate, 90%). IST exposure time per lesion was 718 +/- 127 sec. During hospital stay, one patient died due to a bleeding complication. At 6-month follow-up, one patient experienced acute myocardial infarction, eight patients underwent repeat PTCA. No patient underwent CABG. Late lumen loss was 1.05 +/- 0.70 mm with a restenosis rate of 25%. IVUS analysis revealed a neointima burden of 25% +/- 11%. IST can be applied safely and with high acute procedural success. Sonotherapy-related major adverse events were not observed. Late lumen loss and neointimal growth were similar to conventional PTCA approaches. These results justify the initiation of randomized clinical efficacy studies.     

切割球囊冠状动脉腔内成形术102例

目的　应用切割球囊行冠状动脉腔内成形术并对其疗效进行评价。方法　对 10 2例冠心病患者的 116处病变行切割球囊扩张治疗 ,对其进行分析 ,并短期随访。结果　 116处病变血管直接切割球囊扩张治疗 ,成功率 94 %,结合普通小球囊预扩张后其成功率为 97%。 16例支架内再狭窄均扩张成功。 116处病变切割球囊扩张后安放支架 72个 (支架安放率 6 2 %) ,4 4例单纯行切割球囊扩张术者残余狭窄为 0～ 2 0 %[平均为 (11 6± 5 9) %]。 1例患者术后出现心包填塞 ,1例发生严重内膜撕裂。无急性闭塞、急诊冠状动脉旁路移植手术及急性心肌梗死发生。随访 1～ 2 0月 (平均 11 2月 ) ,10 (9 8%)例患者于术后出现心绞痛。其他患者随访期间无心脏事件发生。 12例病人复查冠脉造影 ,其中 3例发生再狭窄。结论　切割球囊行冠状动脉腔内成形术安全、有效 ,短期疗效良好。     

Disobliteration of coronary arteries by the laser. Peroperative experience

The authors report their experience of coronary artery disobliteration by laser in 10 patients. This was a preliminary study to assess the effects of an Argon laser on atheromatous coronary stenosis in vivo. This technique was used during coronary bypass surgery. Two series of patients were treated: an initial group of 5 patients who underwent laser therapy associated with coronary bypass surgery; a second group undergoing laser therapy alone without distal bypass grafting. The results were assessed by immediate angiography in the first series and by the passage of calibrated probes in both series. Secondary control angiography after 3 weeks was carried out in all patients. The immediate results showed a constant improvement (less than 25%) in the degree of stenosis. However, secondary angiography showed secondary occlusion in 88% of cases. These preliminary results show: the immediate efficacy of Argon laser in reducing the size of atheromatous plaques, the innocuity of the method as there were no postoperative deaths, a high incidence of secondary failure which could be related to the type of indication (competitive flow in the first group and poor distal run off in the second group of patients) or to the type of laser used. The authors consider this to be a promising technique but a lot of clinical and experimental work remains to be done before it can be adopted for routine use.     

Laser angioplasty: effect of laser energy on human coronary arteries

An experimental study of rationed action of laser emission energy (LEE) on human coronary arteries (autopsy specimens) identified major aspects of LEE interaction with biological tissues of atherosclerotically-affected vessels under "dry" and "wet" conditions. An impulse laser with a 1.06 micron wave-length was used as the LEE source. The results suggest that controlled LEE action on atherosclerotically-affected vessels for recanalization purposes (laser angioplasty) may prove a promising approach to the treatment of cardiovascular occlusions.     

Percutaneous angioplasty of chronically occluded coronary arteries: long-term clinical follow-up

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of a chronic total occlusion (CTO) is one of the most demanding procedures in interventional cardiology. In spite of growing experience and technological progress, efficacy of PCI of CTO remains lower than that of standard PCI. AIM: To evaluate long-term clinical results of PCI in patients with stable angina and CTO. METHODS: The study involved 459 consecutive patients who underwent the procedure of CTO recanalisation between 1996 and 2003. All procedures were performed using the standard technique. Follow-up examination was carried out based on a written questionnaire, and the mean follow-up period was 30+/-18 months. RESULTS: The average success rate of intervention was 64.9% and 63.8% of patients underwent successful and uneventful procedures. Clinically significant in-hospital complications were noted in 8 (1.6%) patients including 1 (0.2%) death, 2 (0.4%) cases of myocardial infarction and 4 (1.0%) repeated revascularisations. Long-term survival following either successful or failed recanalisation was similar (97.5% vs 97.3%, NS) as was incidence of acute coronary syndromes (12.5% vs 12.1%, respectively; NS). Patients after successful recanalisation less frequently underwent surgical revascularisation (3.6% vs 8.1%, respectively; p <0.05) and also suffered less frequently from angina (CCS 0/CCS I: 20.4% vs 12.1%, p <0.00005). Otherwise, they were at higher risk of repeated PCI due to restenosis (13.2% vs 6.7%, respectively; p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Success rate of PCI in patients with chronically occluded coronary arteries and stable angina is moderately high with relatively low incidence of complications. Late benefits from successful recanalisation of coronary artery depend predominantly on improved coronary reserve and decreased need for surgical myocardial revascularisation. Successful recanalisation does not reduce the risk of death or myocardial infarction but is associated with higher frequency of repeated PCI due to restenosis.     

Six-month outcome after excimer laser coronary angioplasty for diffuse in-stent restenosis in native coronary arteries

This study evaluated the intermediate-term follow-up after excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) and adjunctive percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in patients with diffuse in-stent restenosis (lesion length >10 mm). Clinical and angiographic follow-up were performed at 6 months. Quantitative coronary angiography performed at 3 stages-during stent implantation, before and after ELCA + PTCA, and at follow-up-included measurements of the minimum lumen diameter (MLD) and percent diameter stenosis (DS). Sixteen consecutive patients were included. The (median + range) stent length was 36 mm (range 15 to 105), with a restenotic lesion length of 32 mm (range 10 to 90). After ELCA + PTCA, the MLD increased from 0.60 +/- 0.41 to 2.28 +/- 0.50 mm, whereas the DS decreased from 76 +/- 16% to 22 +/- 8%. Despite adjunctive high-pressure PTCA, the MLD after ELCA + PTCA remained smaller than the MLD after initial stent implantation, (2.28 +/- 0. 50 mm vs 2.67 +/- 0.32 mm, p = 0.014). Adverse events included ELCA-related acute coronary occlusion in 4 patients and a per-procedural intracerebral hematoma in 1. At 6 months, there was recurrence of angina in all patients. Angiographic follow-up was completed in 13 patients (87%), showing a reocclusion in 6 (46%), a >50% DS in 6 (MLD 1.03 +/- 0.87 mm, DS 68 +/- 24%), and a distal de novo lesion in 1. Despite satisfactory acute angiographic results, the recurrence of significant restenosis in all patients suggests that ELCA + PTCA is not a suitable stand-alone therapy for diffuse in-stent restenosis of long stented segments.     

Early experience of transluminal coronary angioplasty (TCA) by the brachial artery (the sones technique in transluminal angioplasty)

Sixteen translumlnal coronary angioplasty procedures (TCA), eight right coronary artery (RCA) and eight left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), by the brachial artery cut-down approach, were attempted with 9/16 (56%) immediate successes and 2/16 (12%) early recurrences. The procedure success rate for RCA obstructive lesions, 6/8 (75%) was greater than for LCA obstructions, 3/8 (38%). In six unsuccessful procedures the balloon catheter could not be advanced into the lesion, and in one unsuccessful procedure dissection of the coronary artery proximal to the lesion occurred. The brachial (Sones) technique for transluminal coronary angioplasty permits the use of softer guiding catheters for selective probing and approach to the coronary lesion but may be more likely to induce coronary spasm. Complete and high-resolution pre TCA anglograms with multiple views to disclose the exact anatomy of the coronary artery and Its lesion Is essential to ensure successful dilatation.     

Initial experience with excimer laser angioplasty for coronary ostial stenoses.

The excimer laser has several potential advantages over conventional balloon angioplasty in the management of stenoses of the native coronary arteries and of the ostia of saphenous vein grafts. Its use in nine patients, eight of whom were classed as high risk, is described. Four lesions involved the ostia of saphenous vein grafts, three of protected left main stems, and two of native right coronary arteries. Stand alone laser was used in seven cases and laser with additional balloon angioplasty was used in two vein graft stenoses. Acute laser success was achieved in all cases, with a mean reduction of stenosis from 82% to 34% after laser alone and to 28% when balloon angioplasty was used as well. One patient died during laser angioplasty to a non-ostial lesion (procedural success rate 89%) and a second died ten weeks after the procedure. In one patient recurrent angina developed (clinical recurrence rate 25%) and restenosis was confirmed on angiography. Follow up angiography was also performed on the other six surviving patients, all of whom were symptom free and none of whom showed evidence of significant restenosis (restenosis rate 14%). With a mean follow up of 19.7 months the overall success rate was 67%.     

Percutaneous excimer laser coronary angioplasty: Results in the first consecutive 3,000 patients

Objectives. We report the comprehensive results of the first consecutive 3,000 patients treated in an excimer laser coronary angioplasty registry.Background. Excimer laser coronary angioplasty involves the use of a pulsed, 308-nm ultraviolet laser transmitted by optical fibers to reduce coronary stenoses. Preliminary reports have described safety and efficacy profiles in small numbers of patients. Methods. Patients were enrolled in a prospective, nonrandomized manner. The catheters used were 1.3, 1.6, 2.0, 2.2 and 2.4 mm in diameter, at energy densities up to 70 mJ/mm². Procedures were performed by standard angioplasty technique with conventional guide catheters.Results. Seventy-five percent of patients were male, 68% were in Canadian Cardiovascular Society functional class III or IV and the cohort included 3,592 lesions. Procedural success (final stenosis ≤50% without in-hospital Q wave myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery or death) was 90% and did not differ between the first 2,000 and the last 1,000 patients treated. There was no significant difference in success or complication rates with respect to lesion length, nor were there differences between selected complex and simple lesions. Complications included in-hospital bypass surgery (3.8%), Q wave myocardial infarction (2.1%) and death (0.5%). Coronary artery perforation occurred in 1.2% of patients (1% of lesions) but significantly decreased to 0.4% in the last 1,000 patients (0.3% of lesions). Angiographic dissection occurred in 13% of lesions, transient occlusion in 3.4% and sustained occlusion in 3.1%. Comprehensive lesion morphologic data collected in the latter portion of the study showed the procedure predominantly limited to American College of Cardiology-American Heart Association type B2 and C lesions, with no significant difference in short-term outcome between groups.Conclusions. Excimer laser angioplasty can be safely and effectively applied, even in a variety of complex lesions not well suited for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. These types may include aorto-ostial, long lesions, total occlusions crossable with a wire, diffuse disease and vein grafts. Most recent data show a trend for the selection of predominantly complex lesions and a reduction in the incidence of perforation. This procedure may broaden the therapeutic window for the interventional treatment of selected complex coronary artery disease.     

Percutaneous recanalization of chronic total coronary occlusions: experience with the direct argon laser assisted angioplasty system (LASTAC)

The present study reports initial experience with the argon laser LASTAC system in patients with chronic coronary artery occlusion not amenable to recanalization with conventional systems. The LASTAC system conducts focused argon laser light through an optical fiber of 200 microns which is inserted through a multiple-lumen balloon catheter. The balloon serves the purpose of coaxially positioning the optical fiber. The balloon catheter is advanced by means of a guidewire to about 2 mm proximal to the occlusive lesion. After advancing the optical fiber, in three times 10 to 20 Joules are applied. Thereafter, the optical fiber is withdrawn, the balloon deflated, the catheter system repositioned and the sequence repeated. The integrity of the system with respect to temperature increase, energy loss and contact with tissue is monitored with lens fluorescence. In 29 patients with angina pectoris and documented ischemia, 30 complete occlusions were treated. In 18 (60%), there was successful recanalization with conventional balloon dilation thereafter. The total success rate for the right coronary artery was 55%, for the circumflex artery 71% and for the left anterior descending artery 67%. With regard to complications, in one patient there was nontransmural myocardial infarction, in seven there were asymptomatic dissections, one patient required defibrillation. The value of the LASTAC system for recanalization of chronically occluded coronary arteries has not yet been fully delineated. However, the success rate of 60% in previously treatment-refractory patients as well as the fact that no perforations were incurred, is encouraging. Further assessment will require analysis of long-term results as well as comparison of other methods.     

Percutaneous coronary laser balloon angioplasty: initial results of a multicenter experience

A multicenter clinical trial was initiated to test the potential safety and short-term efficacy of a percutaneous coronary application of laser balloon angioplasty, which has been shown experimentally to alleviate the common causes (dissection, recoil, thrombus) of suboptimal luminal results of conventional balloon angioplasty. Fifty-five patients, the majority (62%) of whom had relatively high risk lesions, were treated in 10 centers with a laser balloon that was identical in size (3 x 20 mm) to a balloon used for conventional balloon angioplasty performed on the same lesion immediately before laser balloon angioplasty. One or more neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) (1,060 nm) laser doses of 250 to 450 J were each delivered over a 20 s duration per exposure. Immediately and 1 day after laser balloon angioplasty no significant adverse effects on the arterial lumen were noted in any patient. By computerized image analysis of cineangiograms initial conventional balloon angioplasty failed to achieve a minimal luminal diameter greater than 1.5 mm in 14 patients (25%), including 3 patients with acute closure. However, after subsequent laser balloon angioplasty, minimal luminal diameter exceeded this value in all patients including this subgroup. Overall, minimal luminal diameter increased from 1.74 +/- 0.46 mm after conventional balloon angioplasty to 2.32 +/- 0.31 mm after laser balloon angioplasty (p less than 0.001) with no change found on 1 day and 1 month follow-up angiograms. Thus, laser balloon angioplasty is a safe, effective procedure for improving luminal dimensions after conventional balloon angioplasty.     

Coronary angioplasty of anomalous right coronary arteries

We report 2 cases of successful angioplasty of anomalous right coronary arteries originating above the sinotubular line at the junction of the right and left sinus of Valsalva. The use of Amplatz left guiding catheters provided optimal support for performing angioplasty. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Transcutaneous transcatheter use of laser recanalization of coronary arteries in patients with ischemic heart disease]

The paper discusses the potential possibility and effectiveness of X-ray endovascular laser recanalization (ELR) of the coronary arteries in order to treat coronary atherosclerosis in patients with coronary heart disease. The intervention was performed in 4 patients (into the anterior interventricular artery in 3 and into the right coronary artery in 1). In 3 of 4 cases, X-ray ELR proved to be successful, in one case the intervention failed due to technological reasons. Recanalization of a completely occluded segment of the coronary artery with a residual stenosis of no more than 40% was observed in two cases. Laser recanalization of profound local coronary stenosis was made in the mid-third of the vessel in one case. It can be stated that X-ray ELR of the coronary artery may extend the scope of X-ray surgical therapeutical tools of the treatment of coronary atherosclerosis. At the same time, accumulation of clinical experience and further improvement of laser and laser catheter engineering are essential in defining the value and possible scope for the application of this method.     

A first experience with and possibilities of roentgenovascular dilatation of stenosis of the coronary arteries

First experience with roentgeno-endovascular dilatation of a coronary artery is described, and reported data are reviewed. Roentgeno-endovascular dilatation is indicated for patients with a single 10-12-mm-long coronary arterial stenosis of hemodynamic significance, localized proximally in the left coronary arterial network, or along the trunk of the right coronary artery, where left ventricular function remains intact and the history of the disease is rather short (not more than 1.5 years). Contraindications for roentgeno-endovascular dilatation currently include local coronary arterial stenosis localized at a major branching-off junction; coronary arterial stenosis of more than 15 mm in length; multiple coronary arterial stenoses; stenosis affecting several major arteries; calcification of coronary arterial wall; left ventricular scarry changes in myocardial area of expected revascularization; absence of indications for aorto-coronary shunting.     

Application of coronary angioplasty to the septal perforator arteries

Significant coronary artery disease affecting the septal perforator arteries can cause anginal pain, rhythm disturbances, or septal infarction. However, since these vessels are usually inaccessible to coronary bypass surgery, there is a tendency among angiographers and angioplasters to overlook lesions of the septal perforator arteries. Our experience suggests that if medical treatment is not sufficient to treat clinical manifestations resulting from septal perforator disease, then coronary angioplasty can be considered a therapeutic alternative for revascularization. We herein present 11 patients who underwent coronary angioplasty of a major septal artery and discuss angiographic and technical aspects of the procedure.