Salvage of an ischemic limb by laser angioplasty: description of a new technique.

A 62-year-old male with severe claudication and rest pain of the left leg resulting from a totally occluded superficial femoral artery and a 95% stenosis of the deep femoral artery was treated with laser angioplasty after attempts at surgical revascularization were unsuccessful. A 200 mu silica fiber was inserted through a catheter and advanced into the lesion using 2 watts of delivered energy from an argon laser source. The fiber was then withdrawn from the lesion using 7 watts of energy to enlarge the lumen. No complications occurred, and posterior tibial blood flow was reestablished, as shown by Doppler flow measurements and resolution of clinical symptoms. We report a new technique of transcatheter fiberoptic-directed argon laser radiation (laser angioplasty) for the treatment of occlusive vascular disease.