[Differential interventional therapy of coronary heart disease]

Currently, catheter-based coronary therapy is performed using multiple interventional devices. Conventional balloon dilatation is still the dominating therapeutic modality with sufficient results in the majority of coronary lesions. Several alternative new devices were developed to improve acute results and long-term patency compared to balloon dilatation. With use of these devices (stents, coronary atherectomy, laser angioplasty or high speed rotablator) not every coronary lesion can be successfully treated, but several special indications for a differential indication of each of these systems have been found in randomized trials or clinical use. In this review, potential catheter-based strategies for a differential interventional treatment of patients with coronary artery disease are discussed.