[Current role of angioplasty in lower limb arteriopathy obliterans]

Abstract

For intermittent claudication caused by aorto iliac artery occlusive disease, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is a safe and successful treatment. The introduction of vascular stents has been helpful in case of insufficient luminal gain (recoil or local dissection) or complications (extensive dissection). The results of angioplasty of femoropopliteal lesions must be compared with those obtained with medical or surgical treatment. In case of significant stenosis or short occlusions, conventional angioplasty alone is employed most of the time. Interventional radiology has an increasing role in the treatment of patients with critical ischemia. The majority of the culprit lesions are infra-inguinal. The goal of endovascular treatment is limb salvage (obtained in more than 80%) of the cases, not long-term patency. The aim of the procedure is to obtain a "straight-line flow to the foot" by treating all the significant stenoses/short occlusions.