A technique for transluminal implantation of vascular endoprostheses was developed. Using a suitable instrument, 160 spiral-shaped prostheses, of various forms and sizes, were torsion-reduced in diameter and transluminally inserted, under fluoroscopy, in 65 dogs and 5 calves. At the target, the spirals were enlarged and were released from the carrier, whereupon they attached themselves to the vessel wall by elastic expansion. Spirals were implanted into the vena cava or the thoracic and abdominal aorta, using the infrarenal aorta and the jugular or femoral vein for access. Angiography (the maximum follow-up was 2 yr) demonstrated that the operation was reproducable and that it could be planned. Angiography also demonstrated that the position of the spiral prosthesis was stable, and that the spiral did not lead to stenosis, thrombosis or perforation, providing an adequate technique was used. The side branches of the main vessels remained patent, even with several spiral coils across their orifices. The method can be clinically implemented, and it lends itself to many applications in the vascular field, such as the surgical correction of human vascular disease.