LEFT MAIN CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE PROGRESSION AFTER PERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY

Studies have evaluated the frequency of coronary artery disease progression after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)1,2 and there have been many reports of isolated cases of new left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis or significant disease progression in the LMCA after PTC A of the left anterior descending or left circumflex arteries.3-6 The reports of LMCA disease progression have dealt only with patients in whom significant symptoms prompted repeat coronary angiography after initial PTCA. To date, there has been no systematic study of this finding to determine accurately the incidence of this potentially serious problem and whether it can be considered a direct complication of PTCA. This study determines the incidence of new stenosis or disease progression in the LMCA after successful PTCA and attempts to determine whether the occurrence of LMCA disease progression may be directly attributable to a preceding PTCA procedure. © 1990.