title: Angioscope-guided neodymium yttrium-aluminium-garnet laser valvulotomy for in situ vein bypass.
abstract: Valvulotomy for in situ vein bypass is commonly performed with a valvulotome. Although the procedure can be controlled through an angioscope, the dangers of intimal damage and valve remnants remain. An experimental study was designed to evaluate angioscopic laser valvulotomy compared with standard mechanical valvulotomy (n = 16). Two different laser probes, a bare 400-microns fibre (n = 20) and a 2-mm hot-tip (n = 26) were tested. Results were investigated by histology and scanning electron microscopy. Hot-tip laser valvulotomy achieved significantly better results than the 400-microns fibre. The Insitucat valvulotome yielded the worst results, with valve remnants in all cases and an 88 per cent rate of intimal damage. It is concluded that laser valvulotomy can be performed simply and safely with a very low incidence of valve remnants and intimal damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pflugbeil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wahba
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Sommoggy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dörrler
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Maurer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure