Renovascular Hypertension: Treatment by Percutaneous Transluminal Dilatation

Abstract

Eight patients with unilateral renovascular hypertension underwent percutaneous transluminal dilatation. In 7, renal-artery stenoses were caused by atherosclerotic lesions and in 1, by fibromuscular hyperplasia. After a 6 mo. follow-up period, 3 patients were cured of hypertension and 4 showed improvement. Only 1 patient failed to respond; failure was caused by an occluded left renal artery 3 mo. after the procedure. Renal angiographic studies were repeated in 6 patients after 6 mo. of follow-up and showed patent vessels in 5 and reoccurrence of a slight renal-artery stenosis in 1. In 1 patient angiographic control studies done after 3 mo. showed an occluded renal artery. In 5 patients mean pressure gradient across the renal-artery stenoses was 89 .+-. 22.8 mm Hg before percutaneous transluminal dilatation and 16.4 .+-. 18.5 mm Hg after being controlled for 6 mo. Percutaneous transluminal dilatation may be valuable in the treatment of renovascular hypertension.