Renal transplant artery stenosis and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

Ten patients with renal transplant artery stenosis were treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). All patients suffered from hypertension refractory to drug treatment. PTA was successful in five patients. Blood pressure improved significantly and the antihypertensive medication could be reduced or withdrawn. Acute angulation at the anastomosis prevented successful PTA in four patients. One inaccessible stenosis was corrected surgically. No significant complications arose. If a renal transplant artery stenosis is haemodynamically significant, PTA should be considered the method of first choice for correction.