[Catheter treatment of renal artery stenoses]

Percutaneous transluminal renal artery angioplasty (PTRA) is an alternative to treatment with drugs and surgery for renovascular hypertension and uremia. The procedure is technically successful in more than 90% of the patients. Renovascular hypertension is cured or improved in nearly 2/3 of the patients. Uremia is cured in 50%, and in another third the kidney function is stabilized. The frequency of restenosis is high, especially for ostial lesions. Therefore, clinical and angiographic follow-up is recommended, so as to redilate when restenosis is present. Introduction of stents probably reduces the frequency of restenosis in the ostial lesions.