The widening indications for transluminal angioplasty in peripheral vascular disease.

A prospective study of 57 patients undergoing a total of 85 transluminal angioplasties was undertaken to assess the indications for, and the results of the procedure. We found excellent results with angioplasty in the treatment of isolated iliac artery stenoses, femoral stenoses and short femoral artery occlusions, with a low complication rate. This is the group of patients for whom angioplasty has become a widely used treatment. We feel there is a second group of patients who can benefit from transluminal angioplasty. These are the patients with extensive atherosclerosis in the lower limb vessels where surgery is difficult and the risks of anaesthesia often high due to concomitant coronary artery disease. 66% of these patients in our study obtained significant benefit from limited transluminal angioplasty with a low morbidity and zero mortality. We, therefore, conclude that transluminal angioplasty has an important role to play in the management of these patients.