The indication of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for coronary artery disease, especially for multivessel disease, remains controversial. We examined the characteristics and outcomes of the CABG group (799 consecutive patients) and the PTCA group (944 patients) from 1984 to 1991. The proportion of 3-vessel and left main disease in the CABG group was 77% and that of single-vessel in the PTCA group was 92%. The characteristics between 2 groups were distinct. But the results were good respectively. The occurrence of hospital death was similar (1.3% vs 0%). The early graft patency rate in the CABG group was 91% and primary success rate in the PTCA group was 90%. And over a 5-year follow-up the cumulative survival rate of 3-vessel disease undergoing CABG and single-vessel disease patients undergoing PTCA was 96% versus 98%, respectively. It is concluded that PTCA is suitable for single-vessel and 2-vessel without totally occluded artery disease patients, whereas CABG for other multivessel disease patients.