Excimer laser coronary atherectomy with distal protection for neoatherosclerosis rupture: a case report.

Excimer laser coronary atherectomy reduces soft plaque and thrombus burden, which can reduce the occurrence of distal embolization in select cases. In the case of this patient, procedure-related distal embolization may have been induced by the heightened photomechanical effects resulting from the use of the highest setting in ELCA under increased intracoronary arterial pressure caused by continuous saline injection during ELCA. Concomitant distal protection during ELCA may be more feasible for preventing coronary flow disturbance in patients with a large amount of neoatherosclerosis.