The Limits of Percutaneous Intervention in Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease

Aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) is a common manifestation of atherosclerosis that may lead to limb-threatening ischemia. Over the past two decades, considerable advances in the management of patients with AIOD have taken place. Conventional surgical reconstructive procedures, namely aortofemoral and extra-anatomic bypasses, tend to be replaced by newer emerging percutaneous techniques, such as angioplasty and stenting, initially employed to reduce morbidity, complications and cost of treatment. However, irrational application of these percutaneous techniques is not suggested, since these surgical procedures are not devoid of limitations. A careful evaluation of the various restraining parameters should precede the choice of surgical approach, to ensure the selection of the most suitable technique in each individual patient, on the grounds of clinical presentation of the disease and efficiency of the surgical procedure.