First patient benefits from Royal Papworth’s heart laser procedure

A caretaker from Spalding, Lincolnshire, has become the first patient at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to benefit from a heart procedure that uses a Philips (Spectranetics) CVX laser system called an excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA), avoiding the need for bypass surgery.

Michael Bronze underwent ELCA, which is used to treat stents in coronary arteries that are under-expanded or that have re-narrowed. The stents are cleaned via a laser, in a minimally invasive procedure that leads to a quicker recovery time.

Bronze first suffered a heart attack in 1999 after which he had stents fitted. Over the years he had additional stents fitted but was recently suffering from breathlessness and arm pain. Originally referred to Peterborough City Hospital for an angiogram, he was then referred to Royal Papworth Hospital. He was initially told heart bypass surgery was his only option, but was then offered the new procedure under local anaesthetic.

After inspection via a camera through his wrist, he had his stents lasered clean in approximately three hours by a cath lab team led by consultant cardiologist Dr Stephen Hoole.

Bronze said: “One significant thing I’ve noticed is that I’m not so breathless and I’ve got more clearness in my head as more blood and oxygen gets to my brain. I’ve felt so much better, although I can never sit still so I’ve had to be aware of overdoing it straightaway.”

Dr Hoole added: “Under-expanded and re-narrowed stents are particularly challenging to treat. ELCA offers the ability to vaporise obstructive tissue inside and outside the stent, enabling improved stent expansion and improving blood flow to downstream heart muscle, relieving angina as well as reducing the risk of future stent failure.

“We look forward to being able to offer this new treatment to more patients with complex coronary disease subsets within our wider region.”

Lead picture: Dr Stephen Hoole (second from left) and Dr Peter O’Kane (centre) with representatives from Philips and the Royal Papworth Hospital cath lab team.

Published on page 4 of the September 2023 issue of RAD Magazine.