[Coronary angioplasty 1987].

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is currently a common technique in the treatment of coronary artery disease, since the first dilatation was performed with success by A. Gruentzig (1977). If clinical indication is reserved to symptomatic angina pectoris, angiographic indications have been enlarged on account of progress in techniques and technology. Immediate success is good, about 90% with a low rate of mortality (1%), sometimes despite an emergency surgical revascularization. Restenosis is frequent, about 30% a few months after PTCA, with necessity of a new PTCA in almost half the cases. Long-term follow-up is satisfactory, about two third patients are asymptomatic. Immediate efficacy of this simple technique, and good results on a long-term follow-up, are explications of the increase in the number of PTCA during the last ten years.