Transluminal angioplasty of the aorta, renal and mesenteric arteries in Takayasu arteritis: Report of two cases

Two patients with Takayasu arteritis presented with either severe renovascular hypertension or profound weight loss due to intestinal angina. The leading clinical signs were cured by successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the abdominal aorta and renal arteries in one patient and of the superior mesenteric artery and coeliac trunk in the second. These results and a literature review of the topic suggest that PTA should be the first therapeutic approach in symptomatic arterial stenoses due to TA in the inactive stage of the disease.