Argon laser recanalization of three totally occluded human right coronary arteries

Summary We report the successful recanalization, in vivo, of three totally occluded human right coronary arteries with an argon laser catheter during coronary artery bypass sur- gery. The laser catheter and technique of laser recanali- zation are described. At 15 days postoperatively, two of the laser-treated arteries wen: reoccluded angiographically . The third patient refused postoperative angiography . In the latter, a channel, albeit small, exists, and guidance of the laser catheter down this channel is facilitated by the aiming beam of light. In totally occluded vessels, this guidance is lacking, and the procedure is therefore tech- nically more difficult. To add to the growing literature on vascular recanalization with the laser, we report here- in the details of argon laser recanalization of three totally obstructed right coronary arteries (RCA) in human patients during CABG surgery for other stenotic arteries. Key words: argon, laser, recanalization, coronary arter- ies, total occlusion