Intra-operative transluminal angioplasty of the supra-aortic vessels.

Intra-operative transluminal angioplasty of supra-aortic vessels was performed in 9 patients. All subjects had lesions which were considered difficult or impossible to operate upon. In 2 patients a proximal occlusion of the left subclavian artery was dilated. Seven subjects showed severe stenoses of the supra-aortic vessels: common carotid artery: 1, internal carotid artery: 2, external carotid artery: 1, external carotid artery prosthetic graft: 1, brachiocephalic trunk: 1, vertebral artery: 1. All patients suffered from symptoms which corresponded to the site of the lesions in question. Intra-operative angioplasty was primarily successful in all 9 patients. Re-occlusion occurred within a few days in both patients who underwent angioplasty of the subclavian artery. Six of the seven subjects with stenotic lesions remained free of symptoms and of restenosis. In the case of dilatation of a prosthetic graft of the external carotid artery asymptomatic occlusion developed within 8 weeks. In selected cases intra-operative angioplasty is a potentially valuable alternative in the treatment of surgically inaccessible lesions of the supra-aortic vessels.