Percutaneous transluminal myocardial revascularisation: current status and future perspectives.

Percutaneous transluminal myocardial revascularisation presently appears to be a potential palliative treatment for coronary artery disease, neither controlled with drugs nor amenable to available coronary revascularisation techniques. Ongoing trials will provide answer to short and long term efficacy. Recent developments using angiogenic growth factors appear very promising, and the role of growth factors as an adjunct to percutaneous transmyocardial revascularisation with laser remains to be seen.