After experimental investigations in postmortem human arteries, 19 patients with chronic peripheral artery occlusions were treated with a new technique between December 1986 and October 1987. In 17 patients the superficial femoral artery, and in two patients the popliteal artery, was completely occluded. The length of occlusions were between 5 and 25 cm (mean 10.9 cm); the duration (estimated according to patient's history) was 5-48 months (mean 17.2 months). In five patients, durations of up to 30 months had been documented by angiography. A flexible, blunt, motor-driven rotating catheter was introduced over an 8 or 9 F sheet and rotational angioplasty was performed at low speed, up to 200 rpm. In 11/14 patients in whom this new technique was used as the first attempt, the occlusions could be successfully reopened. In two patients after failure of the conventional technique the rotating catheter could not bypass the preexisting dissections in the same intervention. In 2/3 further patients after failure of the conventional technique the occlusions could be successfully reopened in a second intervention after several weeks. In none of our 19 patients did a perforation occur. It is concluded that by using the new technique, chronic peripheral artery occlusions can be reopened with a high success rate and without the danger of vessel wall perforation. The method can also be applied in patients in whom conventional techniques have failed.