During a recent conclave in Guwahati, cardiac specialists showcased a laser-based treatment that vaporizes obstructions in heart blood vessels. The technique, known as laser therapy, is a minimally invasive procedure which involves guiding a thin, specialized catheter through the artery to the site of the blockage. The catheter emits controlled bursts of high-energy laser light that melts away the blockage from within.
Once upon a time, treating blocked heart arteries meant open surgery, visible scars and long recovery periods. Today, doctors use bursts of laser light to clear plaque buildup — a transformation that shows just how far heart care has travelled.
Dr. Praveen Chandra, Chairman, Interventional Cardiology at Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram, spoke about this advanced treatment that seems straight out of science fiction but is very much a medical reality. “The laser clears the artery without damaging the vessel walls. In a majority of cases, blood flow improves so effectively that patients do not even require a stent,” Dr. Chandra said, giving medical practitioners at the event first-hand insight into the technology.
The benefits, Dr. Chandra explained, extend beyond the procedure itself. “Patients experience less pain, recover faster and usually require a shorter hospital stay. Most return to their normal routine within a short period,” he said, noting that at present, Medanta conducts 3-4 such procedures per day.
Describing laser therapy as a glimpse into the future of heart care that has already arrived, Dr. Chandra said the procedure is particularly useful in complex and high-risk cases such as restenosis, where arteries narrow again after angioplasty, or when clots form inside previously placed stents, which is a potentially life-threatening complication. “Laser technology allows us to address these challenges with greater precision and safety,” he explained.
Highlighting the rapid pace of innovation, Dr. Chandra said cardiology is entering an era where technology increasingly augments human skill. “Advanced imaging systems now provide doctors with near 360-degree views of blood vessels, allowing treatments to be planned and executed with extraordinary accuracy. Developments in diagnostics and medicines are happening every few months,” he said.