Argon laser disintegration of thrombus and atherosclerotic plaque.

In order to study the nature of disintegration of thrombus and atheroscelerotic plaque by argon laser radiation; (1) The optical transmission spectra in human blood and various samples of plaque were measured in the range 300-1200 nm, and (2) the gaseous disintegration products of a thrombus and a sample of plaque irradiated by an argon laser beam passing through an optical fiber were measured by a mass spectrometer. The chief effect of the radiation is to vaporize the thrombus or plaque, yielding water vapor and other simple molecules.