title: Comparison of pulsed laser-assisted angioplasty and balloon angioplasty in femoropopliteal artery occlusions.
abstract: The authors performed a prospective, comparative study of 96 patients (age, 41-87 years) with femoropopliteal artery occlusions. Laser-assisted angioplasty was performed in 64 patients with 9- and 7-F over-the-wire multifiber catheters. Supplemental balloon dilation was performed after laser angioplasty. Thirty-two patients underwent excimer laser angioplasty (ELA), and 32 underwent pulsed dye laser angioplasty (DLA). The remaining 32 patients underwent conventional balloon angioplasty (BA). The length of occlusions was 3-10 cm (mean, 6.3 cm). Lesion characteristics in the three patient groups were similar. Technical success rates were 84% for ELA, 78% for pulsed DLA, and 81% for conventional BA. The 1-year clinical success rate was 69% (22 of 32 patients) in the ELA group, 63% (20 of 32 patients) in the pulsed DLA group, and 66% (21 of 32 patients) in the BA group (differences were not significant). Laser-assisted angioplasty with multifiber catheters in femoropopliteal artery occlusions did not help improve the technical success rate and 1-year clinical success rate when compared with those of conventional BA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Huppert
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Helber
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Karsch
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Claussen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D016342:Angioplasty, Laser; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery; D011446:Prospective Studies