Treatment of vein graft stenosis by balloon catheter dilation
J. R. Alpert, E. J. Ring, H. D. Berkowitz, D. B. Freiman, J. A. Oleaga, R. Gordon and B. Roberts
Percutaneous balloon catheter dilation was used to treate 12 high-grade
stenoses in ten autogenous vein bypass grafts since September 1978. Four
lesions occurred in femoropopliteal grafts, seven in femorotibal grafts,
seven in femorotibial grafts, and one in an axillofemoral graft. Balloon
catheter dilation was successful and surgery avoided in 11 of the 12
lesions. Pedal pulses were restored in eight of the ten patients, and the
pulse in a femorotibial bypass graft was improved in another. Postdilation
arteriography demonstrated a substantial increase in luminal diameter, and
ankle pressure indexes were improved in all successful cases. The tenth had
an operative correction of the stenosis. There were no complications with
the procedure. Percutaneous balloon catheter dilation appears to be an
effective method of treating stenosis in autogenous vein grafts and a
useful alternative to surgical revision.
