[Debatable problems of intravascular dilatation of the brachiocephalic artery]

Roentgen--guided endovascular dilatation (RED) was conducted in 23 patients with atherosclerotic stenoses of branches of the arch of the aorta, in 20 with stenoses of the subclavian artery, and in 3 with stenoses of the brachiocephalic trunk. Before dilatation the patients had a systolic pressure gradient of 25 to 55 mm Hg in the region of the stenosis and constriction of the arterial lumen by 40 to 80%. Systolic pressure gradient disappeared completely in 17 cases and persisted at a level of 10 to 40 mm Hg in 7 cases. During RED of the left subclavian artery a complication, acute thrombosis of the distal part of the artery, occurred in one case. Indications for dilatation of stenosed subclavian arteries were elaborated on the basis of the accumulated experience.