title: Method for disruption and re-canalization of atherosclerotic plaques in coronary vessels with photothermal bubbles generated around gold nanoparticles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rapid and safe re-canalization of totally occluded coronary vessels, especially those with the calcified plaques, represent a challenge for cardiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have suggested to employ photothermal microbubbles (PTMBs) that are generated around injected to plaque or thrombus gold nanoparticles with a short laser pulse for selective mechanical disruption and removal of the plaque tissue and without thermal and mechanical damage to arterial wall. PTMBs were generated in vitro around 30-250 nm gold spheres and with 10 nanoseconds laser pulse at 532 nm in three models: the layer of the living fibroblasts, the epoxy layers, and human arteries with plaques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all three models, complete removal of the material was observed after 1-10 single laser pulses. The size of cleared zones (20-220 microm) was found to be 500-1,000 times bigger than the size of the nanoparticles applied. PTMB generation did not increase the temperature of the microenvironment outside PTMB and the debris size was below 2 microm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New proposed method for non-thermal mechanical and localized removal of plaque tissue with PTMB can provide safe and rapid re-canalization of totally occluded and calcified arteries without collateral damage.
authors.affiliation: AV Lykov Heat and Mass Transfer Institute, 15 P. Brovka Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus.
authors.forename: Ekaterina Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lukianova-Hleb
authors.forename: Alexander G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mrochek
authors.forename: Dmitri O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Lapotko
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000528:radiation effects; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000528:radiation effects; D006046:Gold / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D045423:Microbubbles
chemical_list: D006046:Gold