Coronary angioplasty 1985: technical and clinical considerations

As the result of progressive improvements in equipment design and operator technique, PTCA has become an increasingly common alternative to surgical revascularization in the patient with coronary artery disease, achieving favorable symptomatic relief with less patient discomfort, disability and expense. As the scope of PTCA broadens to include multivessel disease and acute ischemic syndromes, however, it is important to continually evaluate it against medical therapy and bypass surgery, and thereby define those patient subgroups for whom PTCA is the treatment of choice.