title: Use of excimer laser in the treatment of chronic total occlusion of a coronary artery that cannot be crossed with a balloon catheter.
abstract: The inability to advance a balloon across a chronically occluded coronary artery that has been crossed with a guidewire occurs in 5% of patients with chronic occlusions. In this report, a new indication for the excimer laser is described: the recanalization of a chronic occlusion that has been crossed with a guidewire that cannot be crossed with a balloon catheter.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bresnahan
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017222:Angioplasty, Balloon, Laser-Assisted; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged