Immediate and long-term results of elective and emergent percutaneous interventions on protected and unprotected severely narrowed left main coronary arteries.

Percutaneous revascularization of protected and unprotected left main coronary arteries is associated with acceptable immediate results, but there are significant long-term consequences, including the need for repeat percutaneous intervention (10%), myocardial infarction (7.5%), coronary artery bypass surgery (7%), and death (38%), despite the elective or emergent nature of the procedure.