Is laser assisted angioplasty a real alternative to surgical treatment of occluded peripheral vessels?

Since 1988 250 patients had occluded peripheral arteries reopened by an Argon laser. The mean age of the 110 men and 85 women was 71 years and the mean length of all occlusions 13.4 cm. The primary success rate was 81.5% with a perforation rate of less than 2%. The patency rate after 96 weeks was 80%.