Assessing new techniques in coronary angioplasty.

Abstract

New devices for coronary intervention have been used in thousands of patients over the past several years. Although most such devices are still investigational, they hold promise in eliminating some of the hindrances to the broader, more successful use of conventional angioplasty. These new devices seem more effective than conventional angioplasty in treating eccentric or ulcerated lesions, ostial stenosis or stenosis of the LAD artery, disease in older saphenous vein grafts, restenotic lesions after prior intervention, and dissected vessels with actual or threatened abrupt closure. The difficulty facing each clinician is deciding which device to use under which circumstances in order to provide the safest, most durable, and most cost-effective treatment for the individual patient. Careful and critical analysis of the growing body of information regarding experience with these newer devices will be needed in order to accomplish this goal.