PERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL ANGIOPLASTY OF THE ABDOMINAL-AORTA

PURPOSE: To determine the long-term results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of focal infrarenal abdominal aortic stenoses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Over a 10-year period, 15 focal infrarenal abdominal aortic stenoses were treated with PTA in 14 patients (13 women and one man; mean age, 53.2 years; range, 43-78 years). RESULTS: The initial technical success rate was 100%. Clinical patency, as defined by continued absence or improvement in symptoms after PTA, was achieved in 14 of the 15 angioplasty procedures (93%) with a mean duration of clinical follow-up of 4.3 years (range, 0.6-9.8 years) in the 14 patients. Long-term noninvasive follow-up demonstrated continued patency of the angioplasty site in 11 of 11 patients available for study. The mean ankle-arm index in these 11 patients was 0.95 (range, 0.9-1.0) at a mean follow-up of 4.8 years (range, 0.6-9.8 years). There was no significant morbidity or mortality associated with the angioplasty procedures. CONCLUSION: In view of the high degree of technical success and the excellent long-term patency, we believe that PTA should be considered a primary method of treatment in properly selected patients with focal abdominal aortic stenoses.