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Five-year duplex follow up of femoropopliteal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty Dalmia S, Pathak R, Callum K Abstract OBJECTIVE : To assess the 5-year patency of femoropopliteal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) performed in a District General Hospital. DESIGN, MATERIALS AND METHOD: One hundred and thirteen femoropopliteal PTAs were performed in 106 patients between 1993 and 1995. The case notes were examined to identify those who had died, had bypass surgery or an amputation. The surviving patients, including those who had a repeat PTA, underwent both clinical and duplex ultrasound assessment. RESULTS: Of the 106 patients, 36 had died. Twelve had bypass operations performed and six had amputations (all in patients for whom the original PTA was for critical ischaemia). This left an overall primary patency of 19 of 65 and a secondary patency after repeat PTA of 29 of 65. Results were much better where the indication was claudication and were excellent for short stenosis, intermediate for short occlusions and poor for long or multiple occlusions (30 of 44 restenosed). CONCLUSION: There is a limited place for femoropopliteal angioplasty (those with short lesions). Angioplasty for long lesions should only be performed in patients with severe critical ischaemia who are not fit for reconstructive surgery. Keywords Chronic peripheral arterial occlusion, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, duplex ultrasound, bypass surgery, amputation

© Copyright 2005 Indian Journal of Surgery.