Parametric study for laser hot balloon angioplasty to suppress chronic restenosis: animal experiment

To suppress restenosis after the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), we experimentally investigated the optimum parameter setting on the combination of the balloon temperature and heating duration of our laser hot balloon catheter in rabbit model. The rabbit femoral arteries were treated by our laser hot balloon of 2.5 mm in diameter with various balloon temperatures and durations at the range from 60 to 90 deg., and from 15 to 30 seconds, respectively. The histological examination showed that high temperature (greater than 70 deg.) was necessary to suppress hyperplasia of the vessel in chronic phase. The angiography of pre- and post-treatment and of 2 months after the treatment showed that high temperature with short heating duration (15-30 s) was the best setting for chronic patency of the treated vessels. The laser hot balloon angioplasty with the above mentioned parameter setting might realize significant improvement on chronic patency after PTCA.