title: The setting of coronary angioplasty in multivessel disease: current status and future directions.
abstract: In summary, the use of coronary angioplasty in the setting of multivessel coronary disease has become more common in recent years. Reports indicate that, in carefully selected patients, a high initial success rate and low incidence of complications can be achieved. We have presented a schema for the triage of multivessel disease patients. Examples of each subgroup have been presented to illustrate the basis for this categorization. Our experience using this schema at the San Francisco Heart Institute has been valuable in understanding the initial and long-term results of coronary angioplasty in these patients. It is important that this paradigm (or a similar classification schema) be adopted to assist clinicians in making judgments about alternative approaches in patients with multivessel disease and to provide a common organization for the dissemination of research findings and collaboration among members of the medical community.
authors.affiliation: University of California-San Francisco.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Stertzer
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Myler
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D003663:Decision Trees; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence; D012495:San Francisco