PERCUTENOUS TRANSLUMINAL ANGJOPLASTY AND INTRAVASCULAR STENT PLACEMENT IN LOWER LIMB CHRONIC ISCHEM'A

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world Atherosclerosis most commonly affects the peripheral vasculature (4).5Yo). Other sites include the coronary arteries (32.I%), major aortic arch branches (17.2%), and finally visceral branches of the aorta (3.2%). Combination of two .jr more sites also occurs (5. 7%). By the age of 75 years and above, more than 20% of patients will develop peripheral vascular disease. Mortality rates of coronary artery disease and overall cardiovascular disease are 4-6 times higher in patients with PVD than in those without PVD; mortality from all causes triples with PVD, with mortality risk proportional to the severity of PVD.

The treatment of chronic ischemic arterial di.s•ease has changes dramatically over the past 10-20 years. The changes can be related to the development of angioplasty, however, in the past I 0 years; surgety for this type of the disease has become nearly obsolete and has been replaced by endovascular methods.

There are few studies comparing the surgical method to the endovascular method, but the results of angioplasty and stent placement are similar to those of studies previously reported in the surgical literatures. The mortality and morbidity r:?.pvrted in these studies are substantially less using endovascular methods compared with surgical methods.