Percutaneous recanalization of total iliac and femoro-popliteal artery occlusions.

Eighty-five arterial occlusions (18 iliac and 67 femoro-popliteal) have been treated by Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA) in 69 patients. The immediate clinical success rate (48h) was 27.7% and 73.1% for the iliac and the femoro-popliteal lesions respectively. The length of the lesions successfully treated ranged from 1 to 9 cm in the iliac and from 1 to 18 cm in the femoral arteries. Technical failure, always due to intramural passage in the obstructed segment, occurred in 55.5% of the iliac and in 17.9% of the femoro-popliteal obstructions. The choice of guide wire and catheter is basic for the success of the procedure. Complications occurred in 8 cases (9.4%), but none required surgery. In a follow-up period of 4 years the cumulative success rate was 22.2% and 65.6% for the iliac and femoro-popliteal obstructions respectively.