Percutaneous video angioscopy in peripheral vascular disease.

Percutaneous video angioscopy was performed using high resolution thin angioscopes in 12 peripheral arteries in 10 patients with peripheral vascular disease, to study the intraluminal appearance before and after dynamic, laser and conventional balloon angioplasty. Clear blood free views of the whole length of artery instrumented were obtained in 10 arteries with the remaining two arteries being partially visualised. The angioscopic appearances were compared to angiography. Clinically significant findings were detected in all the arteries by angioscopy that were not found by angiography. These included thrombus in the artery and vascular sheath, intimal flaps and fractured atheroma. The angioscopic findings helped to assess the effects of angioplasty in different types of occlusion. The findings demonstrate the potential of percutaneous angioscopy as an aid to percutaneous angioplasty as well as being a powerful diagnostic procedure.