Lasers for Ischemic Heart Disease Update on Alternatives for the Treatment of Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease

1 Historical Background.- 2 Microvascular Anatomy of the Heart.- 3 The Vineberg Procedure: A Forgotten Operation?.- 4 Myocardial Acupuncture: The Immediate Forerunner of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization.- 5 Laser Physics.- 6 Laser Interaction with Tissue.- 7 Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization: Patient Selection, Operative Technique, and Perioperative Care.- 8 The Pioneering Era of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization.- 9 Laser Channel Morphology.- 10 Pathophysiology of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization.- 11 Clinical Results of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization.- 12 Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization and Left Ventricular Function.- 13 Adverse Effects of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization.- 14 Alternatives Forms of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization.- 15 Angiogenesis: Pathophysiology.- 16 Therapeutic Angiogenesis: The Basis.- 17 Therapeutic Angiogenesis: Results.- 18 Combined Therapy: Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization and Therapeutic Angiogenesis.- 19 Neurostimulation.- Conclusions.- References.- Abbreviations.