Percutaneous dilatation of lower leg arteries.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was introduced in the X-ray department of the Central Hospital of Etel ä- Pohjanmaa in 1981 for the treatment of arteriosclerosis of the leg. The first year material consisted of 43 patients. Of the 45 lesions treated 16 were iliac stenoses, 12 femoropopliteal stenoses, 16 femoropopliteal occlusions, and one occlusion of the deep femoral artery. In 20 cases, angioplasty was performed for limb salvage from amputation, in 23 because of claudication. Technical success was achieved in every stenosis and in 10 out of the 16 femoropopliteal occlusions (63 per cent). One year cumulative patency rate was 81% in iliac stenoses, 66% in femoropopliteal stenoses, and 50% in femoropopliteal occlusions. Diabetes had an adverse effect on the results. Excluding patients with diabetes, the corresponding figures were 88%, 89%, and 60% respectively.