Angioplasty in stenosis of the innominate artery.

We describe a successful percutaneous transluminal dilatation (PTD) of an innominate artery stenosis in a 40-year-old patient with aortic arch syndrome. Five years earlier both a left central carotid artery occlusion and an innominate and left subclavian artery stenosis were treated by grafting from the aorta to the distal vessels. At recurrence of the neurological symptoms, reocclusion of the graft to the innominate artery and subtotal stenosis of the left carotid anastomosis were noted. To prevent the hazards of a reoperation, the innominate artery stenosis was dilated by means of PTD via the right brachial artery. Success of the procedure was demonstrated by Doppler sonography and angiography. It appears that PTD serves as an excellent method of treating stenoses of the aortic arch branches in aortic arch syndrome.