Not so rapid progression of peripheral vascular disease after diagnostic angiography

It was recently reported that peripheral vascular disease may progress so rapidly after diagnostic angiography that most likely the diagnostic procedure is in some way responsible. Because flow-limiting arterial stenoses often become complete occlusions within hours or days of the diagnostic procedure, it was recommended that angioplasty be performed immediately after diagnostic angiography to avoid this complication. The authors attempted to confirm these findings before implementing this recommendation. In fact, they did not confirm the findings. Among 96 flow-limiting stenoses considered for angioplasty, the procedure was performed in 31 on the same day. Among the remaining 65 cases, in 64 the stenosis did not occlude and angioplasty was successfully performed. Only one stenosis was discovered to have thrombosed, and this occurred 3 weeks after diagnostic angiography. These results indicate that there is not such rapid progression of peripheral vascular disease after diagnostic angiography. It is not necessary to perform angioplasty of stenotic lesions emergently, and treatment is not impaired by electively scheduling the patient for the next available day.