Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR) Laser Procedure

When bypass surgery isn’t an option, patients can now take advantage of new laser technology to help reduce their symptoms of severe angina. This laser procedure, termed transmyocardial revascularization (TMR), allows a surgeon to create tiny channels, typically one millimeter in diameter, into the heart muscle. This reduces symptoms by increasing the blood flow to the heart and stimulating the growth of new small blood vessels within the heart muscle.

This procedure may be used by itself, but most commonly is used as an adjunct to bypass grafting.

TMR is a treatment option for patients who:

• Have severe chest pain (angina), which limits the patient’s daily activities or causes the patient to wake from pain at night, despite medications.
• Have pre-operative tests that show ischemia
• Have a history of previous bypass surgery or angioplasty, and no further intervention is available.
• Have been told by their doctor that there is nothing that can be further done to help their symptoms.