Vascular contractile function following experimental excimer laser angioplasty

The aim of this study was to determine the vasomotor response to in vivo excimer laser irradiation with regard to laser-induced tissue effects. Transfemoral excimer laser angioplasty was performed in the right carotid artery of 11 New Zealand white rabbits. In four additional rabbits (sham group), the procedure was performed without the application of laser energy. Angiography documented vessel dissection in five laser-treated animals. Perforation occurred in one animal. Rings of the treated artery and controls of the contralateral artery were investigated in a contraction chamber. The passive stress-strain relation (PSS) and the maximum contraction force (MCF) after stimulation with noradrenaline, serotonin and potassium chloride were determined. The treated vessels had a higher PSS than the control (p=0.05). The MCF was lower in the treated vessels (p