Foreword

Article Outline

• Copyright

Percutaneous catheter techniques (PCI) for obstructive coronary artery disease has had enormous success and patient benefits. Atherosclerosis is an arterial disease and thus affects arteries at multiple sites.

Interventional cardiologists have appropriately directed their attention to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Although there is still much to be learned and studied, there is sufficient experience to warrant a review of percutaneous treatment of PAD. In this issue of the journal, Dr Bajwa and his colleagues have presented an overall assessment of PAD in a multitude of locations involving many organs, such as the brain, kidney, pelvis, and upper and lower limbs. They have also covered arterial aneurysms, venous occlusive disease, and the important clinical problem of acute limb ischemia. Dr Bajwa and his colleagues have a great deal of experience with PCI in PAD and they have prepared a balanced extensive review with 138 references that will be of value to cardiologists—interventional, invasive, and clinical.

Drs Rihal and Sullivan of the Mayo Clinic have provided excellent comments.

The Editorial Board and I are grateful to Dr Bajwa and his colleagues and also to Drs Rihal and Sullivan^⁎ for their important and very valuable efforts.

• ⁎ Charanjit S. Rihal, MD, FACC is Professor of Medicine, Mayo Medical School, Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Consultant in Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.Timothy M. Sullivan, MD, FACS, is Professor of Surgery, Mayo Medical School, Consultant in Vascular Surgery, Cardiology, Vascular/Interventional Radiology, Mayo Clinic, and Rochester, MN.