Percutaneous coronary intervention for unprotected and protected left main stem disease

Significant unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease occurs in 5–7% of patients undergoing coronary angiography (and patients with ULMCA disease treated medically have a 3-year mortality rate of 50%. Several studies have shown a significant benefit following treatment of left main (LM) stenosis with coronary bypass grafting compared with medical treatment. Until recently coronary bypass grafting has been the gold standard therapy for LM disease. However, advances in percutaneous intervention techniques and stent technology have allowed re-evaluation of the role of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for LM disease. Recent studies have focused on the safety and efficacy of stenting the left main coronary artery (LMCA) to determine if it does provide a true alternative to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). So should we stent the LM?