Effects of endoluminal coronary stents on the frequency of coronary artery bypass grafting after unsuccessful percutaneous transluminal coronary revascularization

Coronary artery stents have been rapidly incorporated into clinical practice so that they are currently deployed in nearly 50% of all patients undergoing angioplasty procedures in a busy laboratory. A decline in the frequency of coronary bypass surgery for unsuccessful angioplasty is associated with this change in practice—a decline in the use of atherectomy devices, and no increase in length of stay for angioplasty patients.