Factors that influence the outcome of aortoiliac and femoropopliteal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

In the past, patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease were managed by conservative treatment or by vascular reconstructive surgery. Now, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and other endovascular methods provide an important alternative for managing selected patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Overall, the 5-year success rate after iliac angioplasty is 53.4%, but the success rate is higher if percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is performed on the common iliac artery or on a stenosed artery. In contrast, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the femoral and popliteal arteries has a relatively poor long-term success rate except for the treatment of patients with stenoses with good run-off. When the run-off is poor or an arterial occlusion is present, the role of femoropopliteal angioplasty is limited, and the procedure should be considered only for high-risk patients who do not have autogenous tissue for reconstructive surgery.