Sungical results of laser angioplasty still remained to be unsettled in spite of the technical advance.
Recently, a new type of laser for angioplasty, Er-YAG (wave length: 2.94μm), was developed and we studied to make clear the pathological difference of irradiation properties on the human cadaver aorta between Argon and Er-YAG laser.
The intima around the irradiation spot of Argon laser was elevated and disrupted. The vaporized surface was rough and the carbonized and degenerative layer was widely recognized around the crater.
On the other hand, the vaporized surface of Er-YAG laser was very smooth and the degenerative layer was distinctly minimized.
In conclusion, Er-YAG laser is suitable for laser angioplasty than Argon laser.
