PERCUTANEOUS TRANS-LUMINAL ANGIOPLASTY OF THE RENAL-ARTERIES - INTRAVENOUS DIGITAL SUBTRACTION ANGIOGRAPHY FOR FOLLOW-UP

A group of 50 consecutive patients who had undergone successful renal angioplasty 2 or more years previously was studied by video digital subtration angiography (DSA). Additional patients (30) were studied by both DSA and conventional catheter arteriography. Among the 30 patients, DSA findings agreed with the arteriographic findings in 87% of the examinations: 92% of the postangioplasty patients had satisfactory DSA examinations. Using DSA 2 yr after angioplasty, a restenosis rate of 22.5% among patients with atherosclerosis and of 0% among patients who had fibronmuscular disease was found. DSA provides a useful method of follow-up renal angioplasty and it is well accepted by patients.