Laser heart surgery. Patient's eye view of a surgical team using a laser for open heart surgery. The red beam is seen at bottom centre. The laser is u

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Laser heart surgery. Patient's eye view of a surgical team using a laser for open heart surgery. The red beam is seen at bottom centre. The laser is used in a technique known as transmyocardial laser revascularisation (TMR). It is done to remedy angina pectoris, chest pain caused by a lack of a normal blood supply to the heart muscle. The laser makes several small holes in the starved area of heart muscle, which allow a direct flow of oxygenated blood. Angina is caused by fatty deposits building up inside the coronary arteries. If untreated, part of the heart muscle may die (a heart attack), which is often fatal.

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Size: 5050px × 3543px
Photo credit: © PASCAL GOETGHELUCK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: device, equipment, healthcare, heart, laser, lasers, medical, medicine, open, surgery, tmr, transmyocardial, treatment, treatments