Intravenous arteriography in the preoperative evaluation of advanced atherosclerosis

Intravenous arteriography may be used as an alternative to translumbar or transaxillary angiography in cases with occlusion or severe stenosis of the aorta or iliac arteries, to determine the extension of the disease. During a 10-year period the method was used in 117 patients. For the examination, 80 to 100 ml of contrast medium was injected into the right atrium and after a delay of 10 to 20 seconds the lumbar aorta, iliac and femoral arteries were demonstrated. The quality of the examination was excellent or good in 92 per cent. No complications occurred. In 19 patients a continuous pressure recording was made in the main pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery pressure increased to a significantly higher degree after contrast medium injection than after injection of the same amount of isotone saline. In all patients the pressure returned to normal within 4 minutes.