Abstract
Extension of the principle of microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (maser) [1] afforded the development of laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) from devices that emit energized light within the visible spectrum [2]. Initial medical application of such photoradiation included retinal coagulation [3], tumor ablation [4], dermal surgery [5], and gastric hemostasis [6]. These advances have led to progress in the dissolution of obstructive atherosclerotic vascular disease with laser radiation [7]. In experiments carried out in our laboratories in the late 1970s performing balloon angioplasty in human cadaver coronary arteries [8], we found that balloon catheters could not traverse many subtotal coronary stenoses. Our initial concept of using lasers was to create a large enough channel through the obstructive lesion to allow the passage of a balloon catheter for coronary angioplasty. The application of laser as it has evolved during the past few years into the clinical treatment of coronary artery disease is described in the present report.
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References
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© 1988 Kluwer Academic Publishers
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Lee, G. et al. (1988). Laser Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease. In: de Luna, A.B., Betriu, A., Permanyer, G. (eds) Therapeutics in Cardiology. Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine, vol 81. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1333-2_63
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1333-2_63
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7094-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1333-2
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