Nordic-Baltic Coronary Revascularization Study in Patients With Proximal Left Descending Coronary Artery (LAD) Lesion.

It is not clear how operable 1-VD patients with stable or stabilized coronary artery disease involving a pLAD lesion should be treated to optimize long-term survival and quality of life. According to recent European guidelines, significant pLAD disease may be treated by PCI or by CABG. This recommendation is based on two meta-analyses including 1.210 and 1.952 randomized and non-randomized patients. Generally, the patients were followed for 4-5 years. The analyses reported similar rates of mortality, MI and stroke, but more repeat revascularizations after PCI. Only one study including129 patients provided more than 5-year follow-up. Thus, the there is limited documentation for long-term effect of PCI vs. surgical re-vascularization in pLAD disease. The American 2014 Guidelines on coronary revascularization recommends CABG for improved survival in patients with solitary proximal LAD stenosis. CABG The angiographic 90% LIMA patency rate after 1, 2 and 3 decades is well described and suggestive of a survival benefit of surgical revascularization. Therefore, there is scientific background for an CABG LIMA-to-LAD vs. PCI comparison in 1-VD patients with a pLAD lesion. Substantiated expectations: * PCI is superior to bypass operation concerning short-term quality of life. * Off-pump LIMA-to-LAD is superior to PCI concerning long-term all-cause mortality. * Long-term (≥10-year) follow-up is essential to evaluate coronary revascularization strategies. * Outcome may be dependent on lesion complexity, diabetes and gender.