Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty as alternative treatment to coronary artery bypass surgery in iatrogenic stenosis of the left main coronary artery.

The present report describes three patients with iatrogenic left main coronary artery after aortic valve replacement. All three patients were successfully treated by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. No clinical or angiographic signs of restenosis were seen during the long-term follow-up (4, 6, and 11 years). These patients show the feasibility of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in iatrogenic left main coronary artery stenosis as alternative of coronary artery bypass surgery. However, it should be only considered in patients who would otherwise be deemed inoperable, refused reoperation, and are willing to take the risk involved.