Acute myocardial ischemia is a serious complication of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Between September 1981 and September 1985, 240 patients underwent 260 PTCAs at the Hadassah University Hospital. Thirteen patients (5%) developed signs of acute ischemia during or immediately after the procedure. In 10 patients (4.2%) emergency coronary artery bypass grafting was performed. The left anterior descending artery in nine cases and the right coronary artery in one case were occluded. In eight patients intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IAB) was begun prior to surgery. On the average 1.8 grafts per patient were performed. Two patients who were transferred to surgery while being resuscitated died from myocardial rupture, one during surgery and the other 4 days postoperatively. Perioperative infarction rate was 50% (5/10). Six patients are angina-free 3 to 46 months postoperatively. Better patient selection, performance by an experienced team, early use of IAB, and immediate surgery might reduce the current periprocedure morbidity and mortality rate of PTCA.