Cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography

In 1929, Werner Forssman performed the first human cardiac catheterization when he passed a urethral catheter from his left antecubital vein into the right side of his heart (1). The introduction of left heart catheterization by Zimmerman (2) and Limon Lason (3) and selective coronary arteriography by Sones in the 1950s (4,5) began the modern era of coronary artery disease management and revascularization. In each of the decades subsequent to the introduction of coronary arteriography, major advances in revascularization therapy were introduced: coronary artery bypass graft surgery by Favolaro in the late 1960s (6), percutaneous balloon coronary angioplasty by Gruentzig in the late 1970s (7,8), and coronary stent implantation by Sigwart in the late 1980s (9).