Current Problems in PTCA

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Since its inception by Andreas Gruntzig in 1977, coronary angioplasty has evolved into a widely utilized procedure for patients with chronic and acute coronary heart disease. This meeting, organized by the national society's working group, led by Prof. Kaltenbach and Prof. Meyer in collaboration with Stanford University, aimed to gather cardiologists' insights on the current role of PTCA in clinical practice. The procedure is complex, with success hinging on a delicate balance; thus, experience from over one hundred cases is typically deemed essential to minimize complications and enhance success rates. Factors influencing outcomes include not just technical skill but also appropriate patient selection. The workshop focused on addressing unresolved issues and questions, such as reliable indication guidelines, the decision-making process for operative versus non-operative treatment in the event of complications, and the combined use of thrombolysis with PTCA during acute myocardial infarction. Additionally, discussions covered the timing and frequency of PTCA following successful lysis, criteria for candidates needing main stem stenosis dilatation, and strategies for reopening occluded arteries, including promising techniques.