title: New Developments in Therapeutic Ultrasound-Assisted Coronary Angioplasty.
abstract: Ultrasound at high energy, as distinct from the low energy used in ultrasound imaging, has found many uses in varied branches of medicine and surgery. Clinical trials of catheter-delivered, high-energy, low-frequency (kHz) ultrasound over the past 6 years have shown the safety of this modality in the treatment of coronary artery disease and have identified a number of indications in which its use, as an adjunct to conventional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) techniques, may offer therapeutic advantages. Thrombus-mediated conditions--such as myocardial infarction, chronic total occlusion, and atherosclerosis in small vessels--appear to derive particular benefit from ultrasound treatment. Recent developments in these fields are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S5 7AU, United Kingdom.
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cumberland
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Siegel