Endovascular surgery for peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Abstract

Endovascular surgery includes angiography, balloon angioplasty, laser angioplasty, mechanical atherectomy and stent placement. Both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are possible. The advantages of endovascular techniques include the ability to precisely and noninvasively remove an atherosclerotic lesion without producing damage to the surrounding vascular wall. Endovascular techniques have minimal complications, involve minimal blood loss and can be performed as outpatient procedures. Drawbacks include disappointingly high rates of restenosis, limitations on the type of lesion that can be treated successfully and only partial visualization of an atherosclerotic lesion with some devices.