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We performed transluminal balloon angioplasty In 24 cadaver and nine amputated limb superficial femoral arteries under controlled experimental conditions. The cadaver arteries were excised, restored to in situ length, redistended, and maintained at 100 mm Hg Intraluminal pressure at 37° C throughout the anglographlc and dilation procedure and during fixation. The amputated limb arteries were dilated and pressure perfusion-flxed after dilation. Quantitative analysis of cadaver vessels revealed that arteries with prominent atherosclerotic lesions had the same internal elastic lamina (IEL) circumference (15.6 ± 1.0 mm) as those with little or no stenosis (16.8 ± 0.5 mm) but lumen area (8.8 ± 1 . 7 mm 2 ) was markedly reduced compared to nonstenotlc sites (20.0 ± 1.9 mm 2 , p < 0.01). Lesions occupied 49 ± 6% of the area circumscribed by the IEL In cadaver arteries with prominent plaques. After dilatation, lumen areas at stenotic sites were enlarged 43% on hlstologic sections (12.6 ± 1.8 mm 2 vs 8.8 ± 1 . 7 mm 2 , p < 0.

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