Stenting of the left main coronary artery. Local experience in Liege

We examined the immediate and long-term outcome after stenting of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) in 41 consecutive patients who had been conside red unsuitable for coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), The procedure was elective in thirty-two patients (78%) with a protected LM CA in 24 patients and non-protected LMCA in 8 patients; the procedure was a cute in the setting of myocardial infarction or complication of a diagnosti c angiography in 9 patients (22%), The mean follow-up duration was 19 +/- 1 3 months. There were 5 in-hospital and 3 late deaths; repeat angioplasty wa s performed in 5 cases, but only one for LMCA restenosis. Results varied considerably depending on the clinical presentation. For acute patients, technical success was achieved in 89%, survival at hosp ital discharge was 44% and there was no cardiac event at the late follow-up . For elective patients, technical success was achieved in 100%, survival a t hospital discharge was 96% and 90% at follow-up. The results of our study suggest that when patients have surgical risks, el ective LMCA stenting either protected or unprotected may be undertaken with a high procedural success rate and a favourable clinical late follow-up.