Current status of cardiovascular laser therapy, 1987

Percutaneous laser angioplasty has now become a clinical reality, consisting chiefly of applications of thermal angioplasty in conjunction with balloon angioplasty for the recanalization of peripheral vascular obstructions. In conjunction with this development, various aspects of laser-tissue interactions, fiber optic transmission, and delivery catheter design pertinent to the cardiovascular system have come under closer scrutiny. This paper examines certain noteworthy concepts that have emerged from the investigations.