Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in distal lesions

Of 210 patients in whom percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties [PTCA] were performed during the period of 2 years (June 1987 to August 1989), 55 had distal lesions. These included 50 males and 5 females with the lesions in left anterior descending [LAD] artery after the origin of the second diagonal branch, circumflex [Cx] artery after the origin of the obtuse marginal [OM], and right coronary artery [RCA] after the acute marginal branch. There were a total of 71 distal lesions, involving the LAD [51%], Cx [20%], and RCA [29%]. The overall success rate with PTCA was 91%. There were 4 acute closures of vessels; all were redilated with balloon angioplasty. One of these was sent for emergency bypass surgery after balloon dilatation. There was no death. With improvement in balloon catheters and guidewires, the feasibility and success of PTCA in distal lesions have increased remarkably, thus expanding the horizon of PTCA.