The study focused on patients with blockages that interventional cardiologists had been unable to burrow through with standard methods. "These were long lesions, they were difficult lesions, and all of them had already been unsuccessfully attempted by conventional means," said Dr. Angela Hoye, a clinical fellow in interventional cardiology at Thoraxcenter in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The new guidewire, which emits near-infrared light and short bursts of radiofrequency energy, successfully opened the obstructions in 52 percent of patients. No major complications were reported. The study involved 27 patients with 29 treated blockages.

When combined with treatment with drug-eluting stents, the researchers believe the Safe-Cross system may help patients avoid surgery.

"If we can get the artery open, the long-term outlook is very good for patients with chronic total occlusions," Dr. Hoye said. "We will be treating many more with stenting, rather than referring them for bypass surgery."