Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty in neurofibromatosis

A 9-year-old boy with hypertension was found to have neurofibromatosis associated with stenosis of the right renal artery. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) was performed. Immediately post angioplasty angiography showed that the stenosis persisted, but over the next few days his blood pressure rapidly decreased and remained well controlled even when treatment was discontinued. The captopril stimulation test, performed after PTA, confirmed the return of plasma renin activity to normal values. A digital subtraction aortogram, performed 2.5 years after PTA, was unchanged. His blood pressure remained persistently normal, without anti-hypertensive agents. Based on these results, PTA is suggested as the first step in correcting renal artery stenosis due to neurofibromatosis. A complete anatomical resolution of the stenosis is probably not required since slight improvements in the renal artery lumen may be accompanied by important functional improvement.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of an innominate artery occlusion

A middle-aged woman presented with recent-onset left hemiparesis and right subclavian steal syndrome. She was found to have an obstructed innominate artery. We successfully performed balloon angioplasty of the occluded innominate artery and encountered no complications during follow-up of currently 8 months.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in atherosclerosis

Percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty has achieved a dominant role in the interventional treatments of atherosclerotic peripheral, renal, and coronary artery disease. Improved operator's technique and equipment design have increased the primary success rate. Despite improved success rate and safety, acute closure, late restenosis and difficulty in treating chronic total occlusions or diffuse lesions remain as serious limitations of this procedure. To overcome these limitations of balloon angioplasty, new devices such as stenting, atherectomy or laser ablation have been developed. Although there are many problems for each device, these techniques appear to reduce the limitations in angioplasty.     

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in the elderly

Selected elderly patients, even the very elderly, can undergo percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) with a high expected rate of procedural success; however, procedural mortality is higher than in younger patients and, although long-term survival is very good, long-term relief of angina is less reliable. Patient selection is the key to optimal outcome.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of iliac occlusions

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) has become an established treatment modality for iliac artery stenosis. PTA of iliac artery occlusions, however, remains a topic of controversy due to difficulties with mechanical recanalization, a lower patency rate and a higher complication rate than obtained after PTA of iliac artery stenosis. During a three year period, we performed 31 PTA's of iliac artery occlusions. The primary recanalization rate was 71% (22 occlusions). Stents were applied in 16 patients. The cumulated patency rates were 95% and 85% after one and six months respectively. There was one late reocclusion after two years. We found a tendency towards inferior patency in the longer occlusions (> or = 5cm). The complication rate was 10% due to three episodes of distal embolisation, all of which were successfully treated immediately with additional PTA and stenting. These results are in accordance with the results of international studies, and suggest that PTA is a useful alternative to surgical treatment of iliac artery occlusions, albeit long occlusions involving both the common and the external iliac artery should be excluded.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the treatment of occlusion of the subclavian artery. Preliminary results

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The authors examine the treatment of steno-occlusive diseases of the subclavian artery using transluminal percutaneous angioplasty in order to evaluate the correct indications and analyse the results. METHODS: The classic method was used according to Gruentzig's technique, following the surgical isolation of the brachial artery. All 15 patients (11 males, 4 females, mean age 64 years old) were suffering from stenosis of the subclavian ischemia during physical exercise (13), resting (2) or vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Diagnostic evaluation took the form of bilateral sphynghomanometric measurement, echo-Doppler of the cervico-brachial vessels when resting and during exercise, as well as selective arteriography in 13 cases. Intra- and postoperative arteriographic control was always performed and the method was declared successful if residual stenosis was less than 30% with a delta AP between the two lower limbs of less than 10 mmHg. Mean follow-up was 12 months. RESULTS: The immediate results included the onset of complications linked to hematoma of the arm and two small dissections of the subclavian artery which were treated conservatively. Residual stenosis, albeit not hemodynamically significant, appeared in 26.7% of patients (4 cases). One case of total occlusion without clinical symptoms and two non-hemodynamically significant re-stenoses were observed in the long term. CONCLUSIONS: The authors discuss the indications and results of this method and compare them with the data reported in the literature.     

Percutaneous transluminal renal artery angioplasty using the coaxial technique. Ten years of experience from 591 procedures in 419 patients

PURPOSE: To evaluate the angiographic and clinical results of all percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasties (PTRAs) performed at one centre in Norway since the introduction of the method. Most of the PTRAs were performed with the coaxial technique (guiding-catheter-assisted angioplasty). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 419 patients, 595 PTRAs of 552 stenoses were performed from 1982 to 1993. The cases included 295 patients with arteriosclerotic vascular disease (AVD), 49 with fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD), and 74 transplantation patients (TX). Angiographic and clinical follow-up were undertaken. RESULTS: Initial angiographic success was obtained in 92% of the patients and another 3% improved. The rates of immediate success were 92%, 98% and 84% for AVD, FMD and TX respectively. The corresponding rates for primary patency were 57%, 67% and 54%, and for secondary patency (after 1 to 6 angioplasties) 77%, 93% and 64%. Lower long-term results were obtained for: recanalized vessels; long lesions; bifurcation stenoses; stenoses in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm; smaller vessels; and segmental branches in native and TX kidneys. Of 252 patients with hypertension, 8% were cured and another 58% improved. Of 215 patients with reduced renal function, 38% were normalized or improved and 42% unchanged. Major complications including 2 deaths were seen in 2.9% of the procedures and other complications in 4.7%. CONCLUSION: PTRA with a guiding catheter can be performed in most patients with a high success rate and a low complication rate. This study points to two major problems with PTRA: the high restenosis rate and the low response to treatment of hypertension. The careful selection of patients for PTRA is important for increasing the success rate, and follow-up to detect restenosis is mandatory.     

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in a child with Kawasaki disease

A successful attempt at percutaneous transluminanl coronary angioplasty (PTCA) to relieve stenosis of the mid-portion of the left anterior descending artery was achieved in a 6-year 9-month old boy who had multiple coronary aneurysms and stenosis due to Kawasaki disease. Despite the progression of coronary stenosis he had been well except for the perfusion defect of the anterior wall of myocardium on 99mTc-MIBI SPECT with dipyridamole infusion until PTCA was carried out after 4-year 4-months of the onset of illness. The area of stenosis was 70% before PTCA and 20% after PTCA. No restenosis at the site of PTCA was observed on follow-up angiography at 26 months after PTCA. This successful attempt may indicate that this procedure should be considered early in subclinical stenosis to prevent ischemic cardiac damage.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty by a retrograde subintimal transpopliteal approach

We report three cases of femoropopliteal occlusive disease which were successfully recanalized subintimally and retrogradely via the popliteal artery. The merits and limitations of this approach are discussed.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the treatment of renovascular hypertension: sequential prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) in the treatment of renal vascular hypertension. DESIGN: Sequential prospective PTRA treatment of severe arterial hypertension, screening by the captopril test, confirmed by renal arteriography, and the result evaluated by post-PTRA arteriography, blood pressure measurement and renal function. SITE: Vascular Surgery, angioradiology sector, and Nephrology outpatients department of the Federal University of S?o Paulo-Paulista School of Medicine, S?o Paulo, Brazil, a tertiary health-care institution. PARTICIPANTS: PTRA was employed on 32 patients screened by clinical examination, captopril test and renal arteriography. EVALUATION: PTRA results were evaluated by the criteria of the Cooperative Study of Renovascular Hypertension. RESULTS: After PTRA the completion arteriography showed no renal stenosis in 24 patients (75%), residual stenosis (20-50%) in 3 (9.4%) and no change in 5 (15.6%). The blood pressure results were: 3 patients (9.4%) were cured, 24 (75%) improved and 5 (15.6%) were unchanged. We observed normal renal function before and after PTRA in 25 patients (78%); altered pre- and improved post-PTRA in 2 (6.3%); post-PTRA remained unaltered in 2 (6.3%); and altered pre- and worsened post-PTRA in 3 (9.4%). Recurrence of stenosis occurred in one patient after 8 months. CONCLUSIONS: PTRA is a convenient procedure, relatively safe and an effective complementary method of medical therapy for controlling renovascular hypertension.     

Percutaneous coronary angioplasty of radial artery conduits

The higher long-term patency of internal mammary artery grafts has stimulated the search for alternative conduits in order to achieve a complete arterial myocardial revascularization. Percutaneous angioplasty is often the preferred strategy for the treatment of recurrent ischemia in patients who previously underwent bypass surgery, but there is limited experience in the treatment of arterial grafts. We describe two cases of percutaneous treatment of diseased radial artery (RA) grafts. In the first case, two disarticulated stents were deployed through an RA graft: half stent inside the anastomosis to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, and half stent in the distal LAD artery. Diffuse spasm of the RA graft, resistant to ic nitrates, was successfully reversed after ic calcium antagonists. Absence of restenosis was confirmed two years later. In the second case, after simultaneous catheterization of both the left coronary artery and RA graft, two long stents were implanted in the LAD artery and a final "reversed" kissing-balloon dilation through the stent struts was performed; four months later the patient showed proximal occlusion of the LAD artery and the stenotic RA distal anastomosis was successfully dilated.     

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty reverses vasoconstriction of stenotic coronary arteries in hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction of coronary arteries with impaired vasodilation has been reported in patients with arterial hypertension. However, the effect of dynamic exercise on coronary vasomotion of a stenotic vessel segment before and after PTCA has not yet been evaluated in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS:Coronary vasomotion of a normal and a stenotic vessel segment was studied in 39 patients with coronary artery disease during supine bicycle exercise before and 9+/-3 months after PTCA. Luminal area changes were determined by biplane quantitative coronary arteriography. There were 21 normotensive and 18 hypertensive patients who did not differ with regard to clinical characteristics. Percent area stenosis decreased after PTCA from 90% to 39% (P<0.001) in normotensive and from 86% to 33% (P<0.001) in hypertensive patients. Exercise-induced vasomotion of the normal vessel segment was significantly different between normotensives and hypertensives before (+19% versus +1%, P<0.01) and after (+16% versus +3%, P<0.01) PTCA. In contrast, stenotic vessel segments showed vasoconstriction in both normotensive and hypertensive patients (Deltaexercise, -11% versus - 20%, P=NS), which was reversed after PTCA (+3% versus +2%, P=NS). CONCLUSIONS: Normal coronary arteries show reduced vasodilation during exercise in hypertensive patients that may be explained by the presence of endothelial dysfunction. Stenotic vessels demonstrate paradoxical vasoconstriction during exercise in both normotensive and hypertensive patients. PTCA reverses vasoconstriction by elimination of the flow-limiting stenosis and prevention of coronary stenosis narrowing during exercise in normotensive and hypertensive patients.     

Results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis: a follow-up study with duplex ultrasonography

The electrographic features of successful sites of radiofrequency catheter ablation were analyzed in 33 cases of posteroseptal accessory pathways and compared with those from 155 cases of free wall accessory pathways. The atrioventricular intervals in the posteroseptal cases were significantly longer than in the free wall cases (posteroseptal vs left and right free wall; 38 vs 33 and 26 msec, respectively; p < 0.05), and the incidences of continuous electrograms (42 vs 63 and 79%; p < 0.01) and PQS-pattern unipolar electrograms (50 vs 76 and 78%; p < 0.05) were significantly lower in the posteroseptal cases. The V-delta intervals in the posteroseptal cases were significantly longer than in the left free wall cases (17 vs 13 msec; p < 0.05), but shorter than in the right free wall cases (17 vs 23 msec; p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference in the incidence of Kent potentials among the 3 groups was observed. In radiofrequency ablation of posteroseptal pathways, the length of the atrioventricular interval and the incidences of continuous electrograms and PQS-pattern unipolar electrograms may be unsatisfactory even at the appropriate target site, but the V-delta interval and Kent potential are good indicators of suitable target sites.     

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction. A prospective controlled study

In the present study we compared the outcome of primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) (PTCA without prior or concomitant administration of thrombolytic drugs) in 82 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with the outcome of 82 AMI patients, who were treated with intravenous thrombolysis. The thrombolysis patients were prospectively matched to the angioplasty patients regarding age, sex, duration of symptoms and infarct localisation. The in-hospital mortality was 3.7% in the PTCA group versus 4.9% in the thrombolysis group. Thrombolysis-treated patients had increased use of diuretics and ACE-inhibitors as compared to PTCA-treated patients. The mean ejection fraction was 52 +/- 11% in the PTCA group versus 47 +/- 10% (p = 0.01) in the thrombolysis group. We conclude that initial Danish experience with primary PTCA is promising, and that this treatment may favourably affect the outcome of acute myocardial infarction.     

Coronary artery fistula as a complication of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of storage of tetanus vaccine in accident and emergency (A&E) departments and also of the awareness of Department of Health guidelines. A postal questionnaire was sent to 50 randomly selected major A&E departments in the British Isles, enquiring about awareness of Department of Health guidelines (Department of Health, 1990). Forty (80%) A&E departments responded. Only 14 were aware of the Department of Health guidelines and in only 18 was there a member of staff taking responsibility for vaccine storage. The study found that safe storage of vaccine, and therefore guarantee of efficacy, is not occurring in the majority of A&E departments. Unnoticed failure of refrigerators could be exposing patients to the risk of tetanus infection.     

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) as primary therapy in acute myocardial infarct

BASIC PROBLEM AND OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is being increasingly considered as an alternative to thrombolytic treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Studies performed so far, some on selected groups of patients, have produced high initial results of success. This prospective study was undertaken to determined primary success, complications and recurrence after primary PTCA in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Primary treatment in the form of immediate PTCA of the infarct vessel was undertaken in 111 patients (84 men, 27 women; mean age 58.6 +/- 10.3 years) with AMI. PTCA was judged successful if the infarct vessel had been reopened to perfusion grade 3 and restenosis was < 50%. No thrombolytic treatment was given, but heparin infusions were given during and for 24-48 hours after the procedure. 13 patients (11.7%) were in cardiogenic shock or required cardiopulmonary resuscitation for infarct-related arrhythmias. RESULTS: The primary success rate of PTCA for the whole group was 91% (101 of 111 patients), but only 77% (ten of 13) among patients in cardiogenic shock and (or) after resuscitation. Acute re-occlusion (0-6 days after PTCA) occurred in seven patients. Eight patients (7.2%) died during the hospital phase (0-4 weeks), seven of whom had been in shock or required resuscitation (death rate 54%). The overall complication rate of the intervention was 6.3%. No emergency aortocoronary bypass was necessary. Repeat coronary angiography was performed in 71 of the 101 successfully treated patients 6 or 12 weeks after the PTCA. Re-occlusion was demonstrated in four (5.6%), a restenosis of more than 50% in 25% of patients. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction, obtained by planimetry from the levocardiogram was 58.6 +/- 9.3%. CONCLUSION: PTCA, performed immediately after acute myocardial infarction is an effective therapeutic measure with a high primary success rate.