The authors report the results of 5 years follow-up of 134 patients who benefited from percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty 5PTCA) or surgical intervention with implantation of the internal mammary artery as treatment of an isolated lesions of the proximal left anterior descending artery with normal left ventricular function. Sixty-eight patients underwent PTCA (group 1) and 66 had surgical bypass (group 2). The demographic data of the two groups was comparable. The incidence of the following events was analysed: death, myocardial infarction, indication for further revascularisation and functional class. At 5 years, the global mortality was 6% (8% in group 1 and 2% in group 2) but cardiac mortality was only 1% (1 patient in each group). The cumulative incidence of myocardial infarction was higher after angioplasty (15% vs 5%) but was mainly related to acute occlusions or acute coronary syndromes during angioplasty. However, the incidence of Q wave infarction was similar in the two groups. During follow-up, 32 patients (26 in group 1 and 6 in group 2) required one or more additional revascularisation procedures of the left anterior descending or of another artery. The proportion of asymptomatic patients at 5 years was high and similar in both groups. Finally, the proportion of patients without events during follow-up was 56% in group 1 and 86% in group 2. Despite the risk of restenosis and reoperation associated with angioplasty, this technique is an acceptable therapeutic alternative to surgical revascularisation in patients with isolated stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. Therefore, the therapeutic decision depends on the individual case, the availability of treatment and the patient's preference during consultation.