title: Early experience with transmyocardial laser revascularization.
abstract: Conventional treatment of coronary artery disease consists of either Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), medical therapy or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or a combination. However, certain group of patients do not even qualify for CABG. Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (TMR) is a unique new surgical modality specially for that sub group of patient population who have small and diffuse coronary artery disease not suitable for grafting. King Fahad Heart Center initiated its TMR program in February, 1994 and until February, 1996, 100 patients under went the TMR procedure. Eighty-one were males and 19 females with a mean average age of 55 years. Seventy-nine patients had 3 vessel disease (VD) and 66 patients had non-graftable small vessels. Ten patients had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 30%. All the patients underwent a strict protocol of follow-up. The pre and post TMR assessment at six months and 12 months follow-up showed an increase in LVEF at six and 12 months as compared to pre TMR level. The exercise time also increased from a base line level at six months and showed further improvement at 12 months which was statistically significant (p < 0.05) along-with VO2 max, which also showed improvement. Clinically, haemodynamically and symptomatically these patients showed significant improvement and use of anti-anginal drugs (87%) was reduced to minimum. Isotope myocardial perfusion scan on 15 segment viability score showed an improvement from pre TMR level of 33.8 to 45.9 at post TMR 12 months follow up. The surgical mortality in this high risk TMR population was 10%. TMR was found to be a reasonable alternative to medical treatment in patients with angina due to diffuse and or small vessel disease or occluded previous grafts not amenable to CABG.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology