[Initial experiences with transpopliteal, laser-assisted balloon angioplasty of femoral artery occlusions].

For many years great efforts are being made to recanalise totally occluded vessels and averting a bypass operation as long as possible. In two years 190 patients were treated successfully by the Lastac System. Encouraged by very good results, we started to recanalise the totally occluded superficial femoral artery via a transpopliteal approach. Meanwhile, 29 patients were treated. Primary successful were 22 patients with an average length of a total occlusion of 27.5 cm.