Management of renal arterial disease in the elderly patient.

From 1979 until 1984, 70 elderly (greater than or equal to 65 years of age) patients with atherosclerotic renal arterial disease underwent surgical revascularization (SR, N = 46) or percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA, N = 24). After SR, there were no operative deaths and seven major complications. After PTRA, there were six major complications, including two deaths. The clinical success rate with SR was better than with PTRA both in terms of amelioration of hypertension (100.0 versus 27.3 per cent) and preservation of renal function (85.0 versus 68.4 per cent). SR can be done safely and is the most effective treatment for elderly patients with renal artery disease.