[Role of laser angioplasty in the management of peripheral arteriopathies. Report of 79 cases].

From May 1988 to November 1989, 79 of the 341 patients admitted to our center requiring angioplasty for peripheral artery disease were treated by laser angioplasty (LA) associated with secondary dilatation. Laser angioplasty was performed with and Nd-YAG laser coupled by an optical fiber to 1.8, 2.2 and 3 mm sapphires. The population studied included 64 men and 15 women (mean age: 66 years). Functional outcome before LA was class II in 85% of cases (n = 67) and class III and IV respectively in 10 (13%) and 2 patients. Laser angioplasty was the primary indication in 61 patients (77%) with a femoropopliteal (n = 53), iliac (n = 7) or axillary (n = 1) arterial obstruction. Laser angioplasty was the secondary indication in stenoses which could not be negotiated by a guide or balloon (23%; n = 18). Laser angioplasty led to repermeabilization of arterial occlusions in 82% of cases. The best results were obtained for short occlusions of less than 3 cm (n = 5; 100%) and for femoropopliteal lesions (n = 60; 85%). Stenoses were revascularized in all cases. Complementary dilatation was performed at the same time in all revascularized patients. Forty-seven revascularized patients were followed up 3 to 6 months after LA. Results were good in 36 cases (77%); restenosis occurred in 7 cases (15%); and reocclusion in 4 cases (8%). It was possible to treat all restenoses percutaneously (dilatation: n = 5; extruder: n = 1; stent: n = 1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)