Far-ultraviolet laser ablation of atherosclerotic lesions.

Far-ultraviolet (far-UV) (193 nm) laser radiation ablates arterial wall tissue, including noncalcified atherosclerotic lesions, with no apparent thermal damage to remaining tissue. This effect contrasts sharply with the thermal damage produced by visible-wavelength laser irradiation. The mechanism by which far-UV radiation interacts with tissue is predominantly photochemical rather than photothermal. Potential clinical applications include those in which geometrically precise removal of tissue, without thermal damage to the remaining substrate, is desired. Ultraviolet laser catheterization appears practical with respect to the availability of fiberoptic materials and high-pulse-rate excimer lasers.