ABSTRACT
Treatment for heart disease has changed considerably over the last several decades. One of the most important advances has been the advent of catheter-based techniques that allow minimally invasive solutions for treating ischemic heart disease. After Charles Dotter introduced transluminal angioplasty in the 1960s, coronary angioplasty was pioneered by Andreas Gruentzig following development of his balloon catheter in 1974. More recently, stents and covered stents have proven to be important adjuncts to Gruentzig’s original procedure.
