Angiology

The specific field of angiology comprises arterial circulatory disturbances of all parts of the body outside the heart such as, e.g., of the arm arteries, the pelvic and leg arteries, the kidney arteries and the cervical vessels. Our department provides the following diagnostic procedures if an arterial circulatory disturbance is suspected:

• differentiated medical history and physical examination
• standardised treadmill ergometry
• Doppler measurement of artery occlusion pressure
• mechanical oscillography
• CW Doppler sonography
• colour-coded duplex sonography
• radiographic imaging of the blood vessels (angiography)
• magnetic resonance angiography

For arterial circulatory disturbances the predominant therapy is to perform catheter interventions in practically all vessels of the body by means of balloon dilatation, possibly in combination with the implantation of a vessel support (stent). The following treatment methods are primarily applied:

• balloon enlargement (PTA) of considerably narrowed arm arteries (if required, connected with a stent implantation)
• mechanical re-opening of short-path occluded pelvic and leg arteries and balloon enlargement (PTA), if required, in combination with a stent implantation
• mechanical re-opening of short-path occluded pelvic and leg arteries by means of a vessel drill (Rotacs system)
• balloon enlargement (PTA) of considerably narrowed pelvic and leg arteries (if required, connected with a stent implantation)
• balloon enlargement (PTA) in combination with a stent implantation in considerably narrowed kidney arteries in order to alleviate the high blood pressure and to improve the performance of the kidneys
• balloon enlargement (PTA) combined with a stent implantation in brain-supplying arteries as a prophylaxis for a stroke

For detailed information on major cardiological catheterisation techniques please see our "Medical Information" section.