Percutaneous Iliac Arterial Intervention: Current Indications, Results, and Techniques

The nonsurgical treatment of occlusive iliac arterial disease is undergoing continued improvement. No longer is conservative management the primary alternative for patients with symptomatic but noncritical limb ischemia. The low morbidity, the option for repeating the procedures, as well as good long-term results, makes these techniques a first- line treatment option. In focal iliac disease, the technique of balloon angioplasty is often adequate to allow for an acceptable result. However, in more complicated diffuse diseases, the adjunctive use of stents, thrombolysis, laser, and atherectomy may be necessary for success. Accurate patient and lesion assessment as well as following clinical outcomes is imperative for the continuing acceptance of these less invasive therapies.