[The laser and rhythm disorders].
Of the different types of laser, Nd-YAG radiation (neodymium-yttrium-aluminium-Garnett) is the most suitable for the treatment of arrhythmias. Research in animals has, in fact, made it possible to demonstrate that its properties (high power, creation of a coagulation necrosis without a sectioning effect) may thus be used for the surgical treatment of supra-ventricular tachycardias (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, common flutter, auricular ectopic rhythm) or ventricular tachycardias, the origin of which may or may not be ischemic. Since 1984, it has been possible to treat 25 patients in this way, with good result. In 15 cases, it was a question of curative treatment for a refractory arrhythmia (common flutter: = 1 case, ischemic VT = 12 cases, VT with congenital aneurysm = 1 case). In the other 10 patients the laser was used to prevent an arrhythmia in the course of a CSD (prevention of flutter = 4 cases) or of an aneurysmectomy (6 cases). The excellent results in the short term (the earliest dating back 17 months) lead us to hope that there will be considerable development of the use of the laser in rhythmological surgery.