A CASE OF UNPROTECTED LEFT MAIN CORONARY STENOSIS RESCUED BY DIRECTIONAL CORONARY ATHERECTOMY AS A LAST RESORT

The prognosis of left main coronary stenosis complicating cardiogenic shock is very poor. Unprotected left main coronary stenosis usually pr eclude percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty because of the a ppearance of elastic recoil and the risk of hemodynamic collapse after acute closure of the artery. An 85-year-old woman with no history of heart disease developed cardiogenic shock. Coronary arteriography show ed an unprotected left main coronary stenosis. Due to her advanced age , her family opposed coronary artery bypass surgery. We report here th e successful treatment of this case of unprotected left main coronary stenosis by directional coronary atherectomy as a last resort.