Re-Stenosis after Successful Coronary Angioplasty

Abstract

OVER the past decade, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has gained wide acceptance as the procedure of choice in many patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. As experience with the procedure has grown, its rate of success has risen to approximately 90 percent and the incidence of acute complications has fallen; as a result, emergency coronary-artery bypass surgery is required in less than 4 percent of patients.1 2 3 Despite these improvements, re-Stenosis in the days, weeks, or months after successful angioplasty of a narrowed coronary artery occurs in 25 to 35 percent of patients,3 4 5 6 7 or 45 to 55 percent of those with . . .