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We report a case of a woman presenting with right severe buttock claudication and normal neurological and osteoarticular examination, in whom a guidewire recanalization and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of an occluded right superior gluteal artery (SGA) has provided relief of her symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first report of percutaneous recanalization of the SGA. PTA can be considered the treatment of choice for buttock claudication caused by SGA stenosis or occlusion.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between coronary flow reserve and the recovery of wall motion contractility in patients with recent myocardial infarction., Methods and Results: Nineteen patients (55 +/- 8 years) undergoing balloon angioplasty for recent myocardial infarction were studied. After angioplasty, coronary flow reserve was lower in the infarct-related artery than in a reference artery, 2.2 +/- 0.6 and 2.8 +/- 0.7, respectively, P < 0.05. There was no immediate correlation between coronary blood flow reserve measured after angioplasty and wall motion index. There was a negative correlation between coronary flow reserve and the number of necrotic segments (r = -0.43; P0.006). At the 4 month control angiogram, there was a significant increase in both left ventricular ejection fraction (59 +/- 14% vs 51 +/- 13%; P < 0.05) and wall motion index (-0.63 +/- 1.2 vs -1.94 +/- 0.9 units SD, P = 0.005). In patients in whom wall motion improved (> 1 unit SD), the immediate coronary flow reserve was higher (P < 0.05) than in patients without improved wall motion. In this group, the increase in wall motion index was correlated to the coronary blood flow reserve (r = 0.55; P < 0.02)., Conclusion: These data show that after myocardial infarction, coronary flow reserve is associated with myocardial viability.

Thirteen stenotic infrainguinal arterial bypasses (12 venous, 1 Gore-tex graft) were treated by transluminal angioplasty, either percutaneously (10 patients) or surgically (3 patients). Eleven procedures were immediately successful (two at the proximal portions of femoropopliteal grafts, six near the distal anastomoses, and three at the distal parts of femoroinfrapopliteal grafts) and dilated stenoses are still patent with a mean duration of 24 months in all patients except 2 who died during the follow-up period. The calculated cumulative patency rate is 85% at 36 months. Two procedures were followed by immediate disruption near the distal end of an in situ saphenous bypass graft where balloon inflation was performed. These required immediate surgical repair. Dilatation of the distal ends of in situ saphenous femoropopliteal bypasses may not be as safe as in other locations.

Short and long-term results were compared after reconstructive surgery and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of aortic arch trunks and subclavian arteries in 2 groups of patients (10 after dilatation and 12 after surgery). The technique used for treatment was selected as a function of distribution of lesions, their number and their appearance. Gruntzig's method was applied for PTA, while surgery consisted of either reimplantation of subclavian arteries into the main carotid artery or prosthetic by-pass procedures. Immediate and long-term (mean: 14 months) review examinations were by Doppler velocimetry and digital subtraction angiography. Thromboembolic complications secondary to PTA were not observed and there were no cases of recurrence of stenosis in the 10 patients after follow up for 13 months. Complications after surgery were one case of recurrence of stenosis requiring a repeat operation after 20 months, one case of thrombosis of carotid-axillary shunt after 19 months and one case of repeat surgery for lymphorrhea. Long-term results were very good in this series of 12 patients. It is difficult to compare results of the two techniques, patients treated by surgery having multiple lesions requiring combined procedures, and the number of cases treated being too low. However, PTA appears to be effective therapy for localized, non-ulcerated stenosis, and surgery for long or ulcerated stenosis, complete thrombosis and multiple lesions of aortic arch trunks justifying associated procedures.

Twelve tight stenoses (9 of the subclavian artery, 1 of the axillary artery and 2 of the brachio-cephalic artery) were dilated with immediate satisfactory results in all cases. Only one complication (regressive lesion of the median nerve) was recorded. Eight patients were followed-up for a mean period of 13 months: all were symptom-free, and digital angiography by the intravenous route showed a stable image of patency. From a review of published dilatations of the subclavian artery it appeared that the method is 95% effective, that its mortality is nil and that no complication, notably embolism, has been reported. In view of the risks involved in surgical procedures and of the advantages of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, at least in theory, this technique seems to be a suitable alternative to surgery in stenoses of the subclavian arteries.

Histopathologic changes were evaluated after arterial dilatation in a group of 8 rabbits. Rabbits were given an atherogenic diet and then aortic disendothelialization performed using a Fogarthy catheter. This was followed three to five months later by percutaneous angioplasty using a balloon catheter. Animals were sacrificed and histology of arterial segments determined. Findings showed thickening of intima with lipophagic infiltration. In contrast, the media was greatly altered with rupture of internal elastic fibers and a true cleavage plane suggestive of subadventitial dissection: the adventia was not modified.

Differences in time and cost were evaluated between the performance of iliac angioplasty with conventional (AC) and digital subtraction (AN) angiography, after a total of 27 angioplasties (13 with AC and 14 with AN). Excluding amortization of material and personnel costs, findings confirmed a certain number of advantages for AN: gain in time of about 34%, decrease of about 14% in charges, and notably of 83% in expenditure on films and 50% on contrast media.