Transluminal Angioplasty: An Attractive Alternate To Surgery Experience With Balloon Dilatation Of Abdominal Aortic Stenosis At Mayo Hospital, Lahore.

Abstract

Percutaneous Transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with balloon catheters has been available for almost 25years. Initially applied to the peripheral vascular system, PTA is now technically feasible in almost any vessel that can be catheterized. PTA of abdominal aorta is not commonly performed because isolated aortic atherosclerotic disease is not usual. Aorto-iliac or aorto-femoral bypass grafting is the indicated procedure in diffuse or multi-focal aorto-iliac disease. Angioplasty is the indicated procedure for focal infra-renal aortic stenosis or focal disease of the aorto-iliac junctions. A study of 18 patients undergoing abdominal aortic PTA between November 92 and Nov 97 at catheterization Lab Mayo Hospital is reported. Success rate was 80% with almost complete relive of symptoms, 13% partial relive, 7% recurrence rate, 0% complication rate. This high success rate indicate that PTA has a major contribution to make in the management of stenotiec abdominal aortic disease. Advantage include low morbidity and mortality, short rehabilitation time, can be repeated at case if necessary and seldom precludes surgical management if PTA fails.