Coronary spasm or acute coronary occlusion can be serious complications of transluminall coronary laser angioplasty. It was postulated that alterations in arachidonic acid metabolism might contribute to these complications. Six mongrel dogs were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. The hearts were exposed and an angiocatheter, 14 gauge in size, was inserted into the left anterior descending arteries. Then bare ended probe(BEP) and metal tip probe(MTP) of 1.5 mm in diameter were inserted

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... o the coronary arteries through the angiocatheter, and Argon laser ablations were carried out with the heart beating. Coronary arterial plasma thromboxane and prostacyclin(by standard radioimmunoassay of the metabolites TXB2 and 6-keto PGFi" ) were monitored before and after laser ablations. Plasma 6-keto PGF, levels were unchanged or slightly increased in all cases. Plasma TXB" levels were not remarkably increased in case of uncomplicated laser ablations. However, these were markedly increased in case with laser complications, such as perforation and thermal vascular injury.