Percutaneous transluminal aortic angioplasty: early and late results.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the infrarenal abdominal aorta (13 patients) and its bifurcation (15 patients) was performed in 28 patients with a total of 32 dilatation procedures. The group consisted of 16 female and 12 male patients and initial successful dilatation was achieved in all. Recurrence within 1 month requiring bypass surgery occurred in 1 patient. Three patients were lost to follow-up. Long-term follow-up in the remaining 24 patients ranged from 1 to 9 years with a mean of 4.5 years. During the follow-up period, repeat angioplasty of the original stenosis was performed in 3 patients and another patient underwent dilatation of a new lesion which developed in the aorta. According to clinical and noninvasive studies, these 4 patients, as well as the other 20, have maintained patency of the treated lesions and are symptom free. No immediate complications requiring surgery occurred. We conclude that angioplasty is the initial treatment of choice in focal lesions of the distal abdominal aorta and its bifurcation.