Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the subclavian and axillary arteries: initial results and long term follow-up.

The early and long term outcomes of 25 subclavian and axillary angioplasties in a series of 19 patients treated at one centre over a period of 10 years were assessed. The eventual outcome was long lasting improvement in most cases. Two of 25 PTAs were technical failures as defined as > 30% residual stenosis. Twenty-three of 25 PTAs were technical successes: 17 of these were first procedures, one was a repeat after an initial failure, two were repeats for restenosis and three were for separate new lesions. Clinically, 13 of the 19 patients were asymptomatic at long term follow-up. Four had only occasional, mild symptoms (in one of those they were due to shoulder arthropathy). Two patients had technically successful dilatations but developed problems with arterial occlusion distally which in one patient required amputation of that limb.