Technical aspects of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in renovascular disease.

Technical aspects of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in renovascular hypertension include knowledge about the pathophysiology of dilation, certain radiological and physiological markers, criteria for patient selection, and, finally, the catheter technique. Important factors for a successful procedure are overdilation and adequate pressure and time of balloon inflation. Radiological markers are inflation and deflation profiles of the balloon as well as determination of the pressure gradient across the stenosis. Main criteria for patient selection are renin-dependent hypertension and less frequent improvement of kidney function. Following dilation the most common adjunct medical therapy is low-dose application of aspirin for a period of 6 months.