Optimally spaced fiber catheter for excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA)

Abstract

Current multiple-optical-fiber catheters for excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) emit pulsed light at 308nm from a xenon chloride (XeC1) excimer laser to remove plaque in occluded arteries. Because the fiber ends, arranged in a closestpacked array, do not cover the entire surface of the catheter tip, these devices ablate holes typically holes typically 7 5-80% of the catheter tip diameter. To increase the ablation effectiveness, an optimally spaced fiber catheter has been designed in which the fiber-to-fiber spacing is increased precisely enough so as to cover the entire catheter tip area with fibers. In vitro and in vivo testing compared the optimally spaced catheter to catheter models currently in cliiucal use. Although device handling characteristics were found to be identical, the optimally spaced devices removed a significantly greater amount of tissue. This may offer a technical advantage in a clinical setting.

Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis With Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty Versus Rotational Atherectomy

“…25 We found 77% ablation efficiency for ELCA, which is similar to the theoretical ablation capacity of the 2.0 Vitesse ELCA catheter and to previous in vitro data with the same catheter. 26 Similar ablation efficiency has also been reported for the 1.7 Vitesse ELCA catheter. 26 Newer-generation "optimally spaced" ELCA catheters have been shown in vitro to increase ablation efficiency by 20% compared with the currently approved concentric catheters, 26 with a potential to equalize the difference that we observed in ablation efficiency between ELCA and RA.…”

“…26 Similar ablation efficiency has also been reported for the 1.7 Vitesse ELCA catheter. 26 Newer-generation "optimally spaced" ELCA catheters have been shown in vitro to increase ablation efficiency by 20% compared with the currently approved concentric catheters, 26 with a potential to equalize the difference that we observed in ablation efficiency between ELCA and RA. These catheters were not available at the time of the present study.…”