LASERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS

• The most up-to-date textbook covering laser applications in cardiovascular medicine
• Updated presentation of the current and approved clinical indications for cardiovascular laser therapy, such as the safe and effective contemporary laser debulking techniques
• Provides new insights into the fundamentals of laser physics, including the unique interactions of laser energy with various components of the atherosclerotic plaque and its accompanying thrombus

Since the introduction of laser devices to the medical sciences this technology has created great interest. Specifically, the laser’s unique physical properties and precise bio-tissue interactions render this versatile source of biologic energy an attractive tool for multiple therapeutic purposes in cardiovascular medicine. Over the course of the last 2 decades the utilization of laser technology has become an important component for the management of patients with complex cardiovascular diseases. During this time period, cutting edge laser technology including a variety of wave length generators, newly designed catheters, and a selection of advanced optic fibers have been introduced and applied in the cardiovascular circulation. Improved lasing techniques in the cardiac catheterization suites and operation rooms have been implemented for treatment of ischemic coronary syndromes, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and other atherosclerotic thrombotic conditions. Moreover, during this 20 year time frame, several multicenter and single center clinical studies have been published focusing on the role and utilization of lasers in coronary and peripheral revascularization. And within the rapidly expanding field of interventional cardiac electrophysiology, laser technology has recently revolutionized the management of fractured, abandoned and malfunctioning leads of cardiac pacemakers and automatic defibrillators. Consequently, replacing a notoriously cumbersome and high risk open heart surgery with safe and markedly efficient percutaneous laser based extraction. This textbook will provide the most authoritative, comprehensive and contemporary information covering technological progress, clinical experience and pertinent aspects of laser applications in cardiovascular medicine. It will be of interest to cardiologists, vascular surgeons and interventional radiologist as well as medical students, scientists, biomedical engineering students and graduates.

Table of contents (27 chapters)
1.From Laser Physics to Clinical Utilization: Design and Ablative Properties of Cardiovascular Laser Catheters
2.Fluid-Dynamic Phenomena in Cardiovascular Ablation with Laser Irradiation
3.Excimer Coronary Laser Atherectomy During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of Complex Lesions: Balloon Failures, Chronic Total Occlusions and Under-Expanded Stents
4.Laser in Acute Myocardial Infarction
5.Laser Revascularisation in Saphenous Vein Grafts
6.Excimer Laser Revascularization of Calcified Lesions
7.Laser Atheroablation in Challenging Coronary Lesions
8.Optical Coherence Tomography for Assessment of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Excimer Laser Coronary Atherectomy
9.308 Nanometer Excimer Laser in the Therapy of Peripheral Vascular Disease
10.Laser Revascularization for Critical Limb Ischemia
11.Treatment of Subacute and Chronic Thrombotic Occlusions of the Lower Extremity Peripheral Arteries: The Role of Excimer Laser
12.Laser for Treatment of Complex Superficial Femoral Artery Disease
13.Laser Synergism with Drug Eluting Balloon for Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis in the Lower Extremities
14.Synergistic Strategy of Laser Atherectomy and Drug Eluting Balloon Angioplasty for Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis in the Superficial Femoral Artery
15.In Situ Laser Fenestration During Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
16.Laser Catheter Ablation of Cardiac Arrhythmias: Experimental and Basic Research and Clinical Results
17.Laser-Based Approach to Cardiac Mapping and Arrhythmia Ablation
18.Laser for Transvenous Lead Extraction
19.Application of Excimer Laser for Percutaneous Extraction of Pacemaker and Defibrillator Leads: Experience from the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center and the Virginia Commonwealth University
20.Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization: Physiology, Pathology, and Basic Research Concepts
21.The Impact of Various Wavelength Lasers on Myocardial Function following Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization
22.Preconditioning of the Heart Following Transmyocardial Revascularization
23.Transmyocardial Revascularization Using CO
24.Laser Treatment of the Venous System
25.Endovenous Diode Laser Ablation of Varicose Perforating Veins
26.Excimer Laser Assisted Retrieval of Embedded Vena Cava Filters: Insights from the Preclinical Animal Model
27.Landmarks Along the Application of Laser Energy for Cardiovascular Therapy