[Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Is there still a role for the surgeon?]

Relating their own clinical experience and that of the medical literature, the authors examined the role of the surgeon in coronary angioplasty. Despite the considerable progress made in the management of accidents, they believe that one must be able to resort to surgery--even if the percentage of patients who undergo emergency surgery decreases significantly--in the form of a standby procedure organized according to the difficulty of the angioplasty. Moreover, the surgeon uses this technique during the procedure for additional revascularization above the graft on collateral arteries and angioplasty can and should be used in a higher number of cases as a supplement for coronary bypass procedures.