Percutaneous rotational atherectomy (Rotablator), a high speed (greater than 100,000 RPM) rotational burr, was used successfully in 38 of 43 patients (88%) (mean age: 65 +/- 7 years) with 82 lesions (71 stenoses and 11 occlusions). The clinical indications were claudication (84%), nonhealing ulcer (7%), and renovascular hypertension (7%). Rotablation was successful in 78 of 82 lesions (95%): 68 of 71 (96%) stenoses (12 of 12 iliac, 11 of 11 femoral, 7 of 8 popliteal, 36 of 37 tibial, and 2 of 3 renal arteries; 60% of lesions were diffuse, i.e., greater than or equal to 4 cm in length), and 10 of 11 (91%) occlusions (5 of 6 femoral, 1 of 1 popliteal, 3 of 3 tibioperoneal, 1 of 1 brachial artery). The Rotablator significantly (p less than 0.001) reduced the arterial obstruction (stenoses: 85 +/- 11% to 12 +/- 12%); occlusions: 100% to 25 +/- 10%). The effective final burr size for arteries varied at 3.5-4.5 mm for renal, 3.0-3.5 mm for femoral, and 2.0-3.0 mm for brachial and tibial. Complications included gross hemoglobinuria without sequelae in 27 patients (63%), groin hematoma in 10 (23%), arterial spasm in 10 (23%), and arterial bypass in 2 (5%). The Rotablator was successfully used, without concomitant conventional balloon angioplasty, to open arterial lesions with excellent angiographic results in both diffuse and segmental peripheral vascular disease. There was gratifying patient clinical improvement.