What are the risks of treatment?

There are risks associated with any interventional procedure that will be explained by your physician. Potential risks associated with radiation of the leg include arterial damage, re-narrowing of the treated artery, emergency surgery, secondary malignancies, amputation and death. The dose of radiation is limited to the artery being treated and the risk of complications is felt to be very small. The long-term adverse effects of radiation are unknown, however there is 2-year follow-up clinical trial data on patients treated in the coronary arteries. These data show that the group treated with radiation had fewer adverse events and less need for additional interventions compared to the group that did not receive radiation.