title: [Left main coronary artery angioplasty: report of five cases illustrating the current indications].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study is to illustrate by five original observations the various situations where the stenting of the left main coronary artery can be proposed in alternative to aortocoronary bridging with encouraging results in short- and long-term.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a retrospective study relating to five cases with left main disease treated by stenting between 1996 and 2002 at our institution. In two cases the left main stem was unprotected. In two other cases, the left main trunk was protected. And the last case was an emergency stenting for an iatrogenic dissection of the left main coronary artery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stenting was carried out successfully among the five patients without major in-hospital complication. During the follow-up of 29 months at mean, no death was deplored, and no target lesion revascularization was required on the left main coronary artery (with a left main trunk permeable on three coronarographic controls).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the light of these results, and basing on the published data, we conclude that stenting for the left main coronary disease may be a safe and effective alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery in particular cases among "selected" patients (refusal or surgical contraindication, protected left main coronary artery, spontaneous or iatrogenic acute occlusion of the left main coronary artery).
authors.affiliation: Service de cardiologie A, hôpital Ibn-Sina, CHU de Rabat-Salé, 10100 Rabat, Maroc. hasnaabelghiti@hotmail.com
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Belghiti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kettani
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mouline
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guedira
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghannam
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El Haitem
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Srairi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benomar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome