Balloon angioplasty in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease

Angioplasty carried out by means of a balloon catheter designed by Gruntzig, has been found to be very useful in treating some areas of stenosis of major vessels and some short areas of occlusion. This method of treatment when suitable, has some clear advantages over operative therapy, being far less expensive, time consuming and painful, but is probably less long lasting. Repetitive treatment is easily accomplished. Complications occurred in less than 5% and these were generally correctible by surgery. The technic requires real skill in angiography and competent vascular surgical back-up, but with experience in more than 600 cases, it is believed to be a definite therapeutic advance.