Cinedensitometric flow measurements in the femoral popliteal vessel's before and after angioplasty

In 31 patients with obstructions of the superficial femoral artery in occlusive vascular disease the flow in the popliteal artery was cinedensitometrically measured before and after angioplasty with the balloon catheter. Under resting conditions the flow was improved to the 2.63 fold value by recanalization of the 18 occlusions. By dilatation of the 13 stenoses the flow nearly could be doubled (f=1.82). The idea is that a high flow is able to counteract to a reocclusion immediately after angioplasty. Therefore a vasodilatator should be applied in order to diminish the peripheral resistance and increase the flow in the treated region. (orig.)