Objective      To study the characteristics of lower extremity artery stenosis or occlusion in diabetic patients and the effect of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) on it.       Methods      Sixty-seven diabetic patients with ischemic lower extremity disease involving 154 arteries who underwent PTA from May 2008 to May 2011 in our department were retrospectively analyzed. The success rate

therapeutic effect and complications of PTA were observed.       Results      The ABI was significantly higher in 67 diabetic patients with ischemic lower extremity disease involving 154 arteries after PTA than before PTA (P0.05). The symptoms of the patients improved. Eight patients underwent amputation above the ankle with an extremity preservation rate of  90.1%(73/81) and a success operative rate of 88.9%(72/81). Fifty-two patients were followed up for 15.6 months (range 6-36 months) with a 6-month patency of 82.4% and a 12-month patency of 69.1%. No severe complication occurred.       Conclusion      PTA is a safe

effective and minimally invasive procedure for stenosis or occlusion of lower extremity arteries in diabetic patients.