Surgery and percutaneous balloon are two contrasting methods for the treatment of renal artery stenosis. Surgical revascularizations offer excellent long term results with a 70% to 90% five year patency rate wherever the location of the lesion on the renal artery. Long term results of transluminal angioplasty are strongly correlated with the anatomo-radiological features of the lesions. From their own experience and after a literature review, the authors conclude that: For lesions located on the trunks of the renal artery, results of surgery and transluminal angioplasty are equivalent. For lesions involving the ostium of the renal artery, the failure rate is high and restenosis are frequent with angioplasty. In that case, surgery is a proper choice which offers better immediate and long term results.