[Scope and late results of transluminal angioplasty (author's transl)]

Transluminal angioplasty represents an alternative to operation in treatment of arteriosclerotic stenosing and obstructive lesions. The authors report their experience since 1973 with 64 cases treated in the iliac, femoral or popliteal region and 2 cases of stenosis of the renal artery. Arterial tract may be dilated or recanalized depending on stage of the lesion. Patient's follow up with angiography and flow controls showed 70% of success for dilatation and 60% for recanalization at 5 and 4 years respectively. The rate of success and low incidence of complications are particularly encouraging and suggest this type of treatment not only for inoperable high risk patients but also as an elective procedure in well selected patients. Moreover technical facilities and skill of the operator may extend the applicability of angioplasty to treatment of other stenosed segments at the level of renal, coronary and visceral arteries and of iliac veins.