PERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY (PTCA) IN JAMAICA - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

This is the first detailed report from the Anglophone Caribbean of per cutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The procedure resu lted in complete dilatation of the occluded vessels in the five patien ts in whom it was undertaken, with significant improvement in exercise duration in the Bruce protocol (p<0.001; 95% CI 2.5 to 4.1 minutes) i n the four patients who were studied. PTCA can be undertaken in develo ping countries with limited resources, and should be offered to select ed patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease who need a ravasc ularisation procedure.