Comparative study of laser action on normal atherosclerotically damaged vessel tissue: dynamical and photochemical aspects

A set of laboratory experiments was performed to study a possibility of selective laser action on different classes of atherosclerotic plaques and samples of normal vessel walls were performed. To this end Nd:YAG-laser with frequency doubler and quadrupler as well as XeCl-laser with SRS cell were employed which allows us to compare results of laser action in broad spectral range. The laboratory setups permit us to vary parameters of laser radiation, such as the pulse duration, energy and density of the energy in process of experiments. All samples were subjected to detailed morphological study. Experiments performed indicate the possibility of initiation of photochemical destruction of plaques by UV laser radiation. Such a possibility is supported also by semi-empiric quantum chemistry calculations performed for fat acids. All this allows us to suggest a sort of optimal strategy for laser destruction of atherosclerotic plaques with minimal site effects.