title: [Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the lower extremities in the elderly].
abstract: Results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for peripheral arterial occlusion were compared between a group of 41 patients aged over 60 years and one of 39 patients under 60 years. In the older patients the proportion of those in a decompensated state was 61%, more than double that in the younger ones. 54% of the older patients were diabetics with a poor peripheral vascular outflow bed; conservative treatment failed in them and surgical intervention was not possible. A primary success rate of PTA was 87% in the older patients, no worse than in the younger ones. Long-term follow up of both groups indicated that PTA in the compensated stage achieved prolongation of pain-free walking distance or absence of symptoms in 74%. Threatened leg amputation could be avoided in 80% of the younger and 60% of the older patients. Limited amputation was performed in 20% of the older patients with decompensated vascular disorders. The most frequent complication of PTA was embolization into the small vessels of the lower leg, in nearly 30% of patients. But only once did this worsen the clinical state, and this was transitory.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000628:therapy; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery; D008875:Middle Aged
vernacular_title: Perkutane transluminale Angioplastie der unteren Extremitäten im fortgeschrittenen Lebensalter.