[Transluminal coronary angioplasty. Experience apropos of 155 procedures]

The authors report their experience of transluminal coronary angioplasty (TCA) from February 1980 to November 1983. 140 patients underwent TCA and 155 procedures were performed. The mean age was 55 years (range 33 to 74 years). Clinically, the patients presented with Stage I angina in 26 cases (18 p. 100), Stage II in 18 cases (13 p. 100), Stage III in 24 cases (17 p. 100) and Stage IV in 72 cases (52 p. 100), according to the NYHA Classification. 23 patients (16.5 p. 100) underwent combined thrombolysis - TCA. The coronary artery disease was limited to a single vessel in 135 cases (96 p. 100) and involved 2 vessels in 5 cases (4 p. 100). The overall results showed a 71 p. 100 primary success rate. There were no fatalities. The incidence of myocardial infarction was 3 p. 100 (5 patients) and emergency coronary bypass surgery was necessary in 16 patients (10 p. 100). The results in two groups of patients were compared: Group A: 69 patients treated with a conventional balloon catheter. Group B: 86 patients treated with a balloon catheter with a guide wire. The coronary stenosis was catheterised in 73 p. 100 of patients in Group A, and 90 p. 100 of patients in Group B (p less than 0.01). The primary success rate was 56 p. 100 in Group A and 83 p. 100 in Group B. The use of this new material improves the primary success rate and also makes more distal, anatomically atypical lesions, accessible.