title: Internal thoracic artery collateral to the external iliac artery in chronic aortoiliac occlusive disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence and angiographic findings of the collateral pathway involving the internal thoracic artery in patients with chronic aortoiliac occlusive disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between March 2000 and Februrary 2001, 124 patients at our hospital underwent angiographic evaluation of chronic aortoiliac occlusive disease, and in 15 of these complete obstruction or severe stenosis of the aortoiliac artery was identified. The aortograms and collateral arteriograms obtained, including internal thoracic arteriograms, as well as the medical records of the patients involved, were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In nine patients there was complete occlusion of the infrarenal aorta, or diffuse stenosis of 75% or more in the descending thoracic aorta, and in the other six, a patent aorta but complete occlusion or stenosis of 75% or more of the common iliac artery was demonstrated. Collateral perfusion via hypertrophied internal thoracic arteries and rich anastomoses between the superior and inferior epigastric arteries, reconstituting the external iliac artery, were noted in all fifteen patients, regardless of symptom duration, which ranged from six months to twelve years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with chronic aortoiliac occlusive disease, the internal thoracic artery, along with visceral collaterals and those from the contralateral side, is one of the major parietal collateral pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. dyl@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
authors.forename: Jinna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Sung Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Do Yun
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013895:Thoracic Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*