Laser-Induced Intravascular Coagulation: An Experimental Treatment for Vascular Lesions and Control of Hemorrhage

The ability to transmit a laser beam through an optical fiber per mitted use of a laser with a wave length of 2.1 microns in the field of interventional angiology. During ex periments on dogs its ability to pro duce coagulation within the blood stream had been impressive. This led the authors to test its ability to seal blood vessels without resorting to surgery. A model of patent ductus ar teriosus was created in anesthetised dogs by implanting a segment of the femoral artery between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. A cardiac catheter was introduced via the femo ral artery and guided under x-ray control into the "patent duct" and an optical fiber inserted through the catheter. The "patent duct" was oc cluded successfully in a consecutive series of 7 animals with a laser pulse at 2 watts without damage to the ad jacent pulmonary artery and aorta. Similar animal models of berry aneu rysm of the brain (5 dogs), varicose veins (8 dogs), and gastrointestinal bleeding (5 dogs) were also success fully treated by laser-induced intra vascular coagulation. The results of these preliminary experiments are encouraging. The laser may find clin ical application in a variety of vascu lar procedures where less invasive alternatives to open surgery have not yet been developed.