Short and long-term results of transluminal coronary interventions: an angiographic perspective

Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) is the original term describing the technique of alleviating coronary artery narrowings by inflating a short balloon (8 - 45 mm long) mounted on a long hollow plastic catheter, which is introdllced to the coronary artery over a thin (0.010 - 0.018 inch diameter) Hoppy tipped guidewire via a peripheral arterial puncture (the femoral artery in the groin being in modern times the most popular, then the bmchial artery at the elbow and more recently, the radial artery at the wrist). Since its introduction in 1977, this non-surgical alternative to coronary artery bypass graft operation (with its attendant risks and uw,avoury patient appeal) has undergone a metamorphosis from experimental clinical application into the medical specialty of "Jnterventional Cardiology". With its increasing clinical application, in addition to broadening indications and therapeutic possibilities, however, its limitations in consistently producing successful amI uncomplicated results, have been exposed. Accordingly, a medical device industry rapidly burgeoned, handin- hand with the specialty of interventional cardiology itself, providing extensive refinements in guidewire and halloon catheter manufacture and design. Despite such advances in haUoon technology and the increasing experience of physicians engaged in daily practise, procedural failure, or abrupt closure of the coronary artery, during or shortly after angioplasty, has remained an inherent complication in 5-10 % of cases attempted.

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