Angioplasty ‘viable alternative’ to heart surgery

Drug-eluting stents should be considered as a viable alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD), claims a new study.

Although surgery on CAD patients is still considered the best treatment for severe stenosis in the left main coronary artery, a study by scientists at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the US suggests angioplasty with coronary stenting may be a practical alternative to the complicated bypass.

The team of researchers detailed reports on 123 patients who underwent bypass surgery ? 50 of whom were treated with drug-eluting stents.

Lead author of the study, Dr Raj Makkar, explained the results: “Despite the greater percentage of high risk patients in the group who underwent coronary stenting, there was no increase in the immediate or medium-term complications compared with the group treated with bypass surgery.”

Many bodies including the American Heart Association have discouraged the treatment of left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease, claiming the risk factor is too high.

However, Dr Makkar and his team now suggest further trials and a re-evaluation of the primary treatment of the disease is needed, following their results.

“The most important finding in this study is that, in a pilot experience with unprotected (no prior CABG surgery) LMCA disease, treatment with drug-eluting stents resulted in outcomes at least equivalent to bypass surgery,” said co-author Dr Prediman K Shah.

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