Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the popliteal artery and its branches.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the popliteal artery and its branches was performed for relief of ischemia of the leg. Thirty-four procedures were performed in 31 patients (bilateral in 1 and repeated in 2). Angioplasty was technically successful in 29 cases (85%), with immediate clinical improvement in 26 (89%). The mean ankle-arm pressure index rose from 0.28 to 0.77. Long-term noninvasive follow-up in 23 of 26 patients with initial clinical improvement demonstrated reocclusion in 6 (2 of whom had successful redilatation) and continued patency in 13 who were followed up for 3 to 29 months (average, 11.6 mo.); the mean ankle-arm pressure index was 0.71 and the cumulative patency rate at 2 years was 57%. Six patients died, though all were asymptomatic. Since many of these procedures are performed for limb salvage in patients who would not benefit from surgery, PTA is useful in providing acute and often prolonged relief of ischaemia of the leg.