Among various vascular interventional procedures, there are some procedures of vascular recanalization often encountered by primary physicians in clinical practice. These are percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stent application in
the
lower
extremity ishemia, catheter-directed thrombolysis with PTA, stenting for iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis, and interventional management of arteriovenous fistula and graft for hemodialysis access. PTA and stent are safe and effective treatment
for
iliac
arterial stenosis and occlusion with a good long-term patency rate. Long-term effectiveness of femoropopliteal stent is yet to be determined. Catheter-directed thrombolysis is a new emerging vascular intervention for acute iliofemoral deep vein
thrombosis. May-Thurner syndrome can be effectively treated with thrombolysis in the iliofemoral vein followed by PTA ad stenting for the left iliac vein stenosis or occlusion. For the failing arteriovenous fistula or grafts in patients with
hemodialysis, interventional radiologists can play an important role for the maintenance of the patency by percutaneous thrombolysis and balloon dilatation. It will be very helpful for the primary physicians to understand the role of the
interventional
radiologists and the indications, techniques, and results of those vascular interventional procedures often encountered in daily practice.
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