The comparative efficacy of percutaneous and surgical coronary revascularization in 2009: a review.

Medical, percutaneous, and surgical therapies for coronary atherosclerotic disease are developing rapidly, with many recent breakthroughs in metabolic control, improvements in catheter and stent engineering, and advances in surgical technique. Treatment guidelines are still in their infancy and do not take into account several of these recent innovations. Consequently, determining the most appropriate treatment for many patients remains challenging. In this review, we examine the most recent revascularization guidelines, discuss important new data and trials comparing contemporary stent technology and coronary artery bypass surgery, and conclude with updated revascularization recommendations.