Design Criteria For In-Vivo Laser Angioplasty

Nanosecond pulsed lasers have two advantages compared to conventional C. W. lasers. First, they improve the precision of ablation and second, they minimize the thermal effects of laser action. These properties may allow for increased control of the laser beam and safer clinical application of laser angioplasty. Before clinical testing can begin two key problems must be resolved. First, the optimal combination of wavelength, energy density and power density for atheroma ablation must be defined. And second, since the nanosecond pulses of laser energy used generate enormous peak powers, they often destroy the fiberoptic waveguide used to transmit the energy.