In the past, coronary artery disease (narrowing and blockage of blood vessels) was typically treated with coronary bypass surgery, an open-chest procedure using veins from the chest or leg. Nowadays, however, coronary artery disease can be successfully treated with minimally invasive interventional procedures performed via a catheter, without opening the chest. This method allows blocked arteries to be opened within minutes, especially during a heart attack, thereby preventing damage to the heart muscle and cell death. Consequently, serious complications such as heart failure and death, which can arise from sudden vascular occlusion, can be averted.