1 Historical Background -- 2 Microvascular Anatomy of the Heart -- 3 The Vineberg Procedure: A Forgotten Operation? -- 4 Myocardial Acupuncture: The Immediate Forerunner of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization -- 5 Laser Physics -- 6 Laser Interaction with Tissue -- 7 Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization: Patient Selection, Operative Technique, and Perioperative Care -- 8 The Pioneering Era of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization -- 9 Laser Channel Morphology -- 10 Pathophysiology of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization -- 11 Clinical Results of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization -- 12 Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization and Left Ventricular Function -- 13 Adverse Effects of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization -- 14 Alternatives Forms of Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization -- 15 Angiogenesis: Pathophysiology -- 16 Therapeutic Angiogenesis: The Basis -- 17 Therapeutic Angiogenesis: Results -- 18 Combined Therapy: Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization and Therapeutic Angiogenesis -- 19 Neurostimulation -- Conclusions -- References -- Abbreviations