Objective: To evaluate one-year results of the infrapopliteal PTA, and retrospectively assess factors that impact the clinical success and might predict the effect of the procedure per patients group. Clinical success was defined as the preservation of a functional limb, i.e. TMT level amputation at most, or a subsidence of the complaints. Material and methods: Since 1985 until the end of 2002 authors performed PTA by 638 patients on 805 limbs, and they treated 1614 vessels. By 72 patients they performed interventions on both lower limbs. By 76 patients the procedure concerned rePTA. Results: The one-year limb salvage rate ranged from 59–100%, depending on co-morbidities, post-PTA finding on the infrapopliteal arteries, and the clinical condition where the intervention was conducted for. In this study authors demonstrated, that the clinical success of the procedure was mainly affected by the number of patent arteries post-intervention, and to a lesser extent by the lower limb condition determining the procedure. Other factors, such as age, gender, intervention on the supplying vessel, and presence of co-morbidities, did not significantly affect the limb salvage. Conclusion: Infrapopliteal PTA is a highly effective therapy for limb salvage, though the one-year clinical success in limb salvage varies. It depends on the clinical condition of the limb prior to PTA and, most importantly, on the number of patent arteries post-PTA.

        Key words: PTA (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty) – infrapopliteal (crural) arteries – one-year limb salvage – co-morbidities