OUTPATIENT ANGIOPLASTY - 4-YEAR EXPERIENCE IN ONE PRACTICE

Angioplasty is often performed as an inpatient procedure after prelimi nary angiography. In order to increase efficiency and patient comfort we introduced a policy of performing angioplasty for chronic leg ischa emia as an outpatient whenever possible, using duplex scanning to sele ct suitable lesions. This paper examines the safety and feasibility of this policy over a 4-year period. We prospectively assessed 168 conse cutive cases which were planned for outpatient angioplasty from a tota l of 190 cases undergoing angioplasty and full agreement between found duplex scanning and angiography in 92%. Six patients (4%) developed c omplications of angioplasty requiring admission and another five were admitted for unexpected organisational reasons. Thus, the complication rate of outpatient angioplasty was 4%. All complications were noted a t the time of angioplasty with no unexpected readmissions. Angioplasty for leg ischaemia is feasible and safe to perform as an outpatient us ing duplex scanning to select appropriate cases.