title: [Is percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the femoral and popliteal arteries a justifiable procedure? A discussion in relation to 58 attempts].
abstract: Angioplasty of the femoral and popliteal arteries was attempted in 58 cases over a period of 2 years. Ideal cases for treatment by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) are those with stenoses less than 3 cm or obliterations less than 6 cm in length where the onset was between 6 months and 2 years previously. Immediate success was obtained in 50 cases (86 patients), failures usually being observed in very advanced cases. Permeability after 2 years, by actuarial calculation, was observed in 85 p. cent of cases and there were 7 complications (12 p. cent) in the 58 patients, one of whom required urgent surgery. This method represents an alternative procedure to conventional surgical shunts in young subjects, those at high surgical risk, and those with lesions in two zones. These results illustrate the value of early diagnosis, by arteriography of the lower limbs, to detect recent lesions responding best to PTA and thus to gain time in the long and painful history of this disease.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000628:therapy*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography
vernacular_title: L'angioplastie transluminale percutanée (ATP) des artères fémorales et poplitées est-elle justifiée? Réflexions à propos de 58 tentatives.