[Experimental and clinical studies on the laser application in the cardiovascular surgery; analysis of clinical experience of 112 patients].

Since 1980, we have applied lasers experimentally in the following three categories in the fields of cardiovascular surgery. That is, Group 1: New myocardial revascularization in the patients whose coronary arteries are too small or diffuse due to atherosclerosis, Group 2: Laser vascular anastomosis especially for small-caliber vessels, such as coronary artery bypass grafting, Group 3: Laser angioplasty for obstructive arterial disease. Subsequently, efficacy of laser application could be obviously recognized in these fields. On the basis of excellent results of our experimental studies, laser was clinically employed for 112 patients with anginal pain, intermittent claudication and renal failure. They consisted of new myocardial revascularization in one case and vascular anastomosis in 89 cases including 7 cases (LIMA-LAD2, SVG-LAD5) of the coronary artery bypass grafting and laser angioplasty in 22 cases including 5 cases (LAD3, RCA2) of intraoperative laser coronary angioplasty. Optimal conditions of vascular anastomosis were 20-40mW in output and 6-12sec/mm in irradiation time. On the other hand, optimal conditions for laser angioplasty were 6 watts in output and 3sec in irradiation time for each shot. Laser irradiation was carefully repeated according to the grade of atherosclerotic changes. These patients are doing well without any complications throughout laser. Our experimental and clinical experiences of laser application in the fields of the cardiovascular surgery were presented in detail.