Percutaneous coronary intervention in New Zealand

Coronary angioplasty has now been performed for over 25 years in New Zealand and there have been considerable technical advances during this time. The early local experience with balloon angioplasty suggested the technique was suitable for the majority of patients with single vessel disease, with 68 % of patients asymptomatic after successful angioplasty.1 The Achilles heel of percutaneous intervention (PCI) has been the development of restenosis resulting in repeat revascularisation procedures. Coronary artery stents were introduced into New Zealand in 1989 and are now used in the majority of interventional procedures with repeat procedures for restenosis required in approximately 6 % of patients treated with PCI.2 In comparison to balloon angioplasty, coronary artery stenting reduces the rate of restenosis and need for repeat PCI by approximately half—but does not reduce the rates of death, myocardial infarctions, or need for emergency coronary artery bypass surgery.3 Recent technological advances have included coatings applied to stents to decreas