Interventional Radiology for Vascular Diseases

Recently interventional radiologic procedures for vascular occlusive diseases have become an alternative to the surgical method. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty(PTA) is an effective treatment for a short, concentric, segmental, stenotic lesion. The patency rate of PTA depends on the nature of the lesion. The long-term patency rate is high in iliac artery lesions. Percutaneous stent placement is an effective long-term treatment for patients with iliac insufficiency. New stents, such as a drug-coated, radioactive stent, are under investigation to overcome the re-stenosis after PTA or stent insertion. Percutaneously placed endoluminal stent-grafts for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm were developed to avoid major intraabdominal surgery and related morbidity and mortality.