Renal Artery Intervention - an Invasive Radiologist's Approach.

Renal Artery stenosis caused by atherosclerosis is a common disorder in the elderly. The disease is progressive and might lead to renovascular hypertension and end­stage renal disease. The atheromatous renal artery is accessible for angioplasty and stenting. Developments in mini invasive equipment have resulted in improved technical success equaling that of surgical revascularization. The role of angioplasty in treating renovascular hypertension is well established. The chemically induced renal functional impairment is potentially reversible by revascularization that renders the ischemic nephropathy increasingly recognized as a treatable disease. However, there exists a disparity between technical success and clinical benefits that need to be addressed.