[Occlusion of the aorta and iliac arteries]

Occlusion of the aorta and the iliac arteries leads to an insufficient perfusion of the legs and the genital and gluteal region. The occurring symptoms may be variable, mainly depending on the collateralization network of the internal iliac artery (IIA) circulation. Various differential diagnoses need to be excluded. Invasive therapy is almost always inevitable if an aortoiliac stenosis is established. With good patency rates and low mortality rates the indications for reconstructive procedures are liberally interpreted; therefore, invasive therapy can be performed in the early stages of claudication in certain situations. Due to lower invasiveness and therefore lower risk of complications while showing comparable long-term patency rates, endovascular treatment is the preferred first line therapy for the majority of occlusions. Because aortoiliac occlusion processes also affect patients who are actively involved in a professional career, the indications for invasive therapy can be attained even in Fontaine stage IIa.