Improved patient selection for enzymatic lysis of peripheral arterial and graft occlusions.

Intraarterial thrombolysis by remote intravenous or direct intraarterial infusion of streptokinase is possible. The latter may be more effective with a lesser potential for systemic hemorrhagic complications because of the smaller dose administered directly in the area. Fifty patients with prosthetic graft, embolic, and renal artery occlusions were evaluated. Embolic occlusion responded dramatically, particularly since lytic therapy was initiated at an early stage. Patients with severe ischemia or those with simple localized occlusion were best treated by surgical means. Successful thrombolysis was also obtained with renal artery occlusions combined with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The management of patients with prosthetic graft occlusion by lytic therapy is complex. Optimal results can be obtained in patients presenting with occluded grafts after the immediate postoperative period and in those in whom previous satisfactory runoff has been demonstrated. Failure of lysis in this group is associated with a high incidence of limb loss due to unreconstructable obliterative disease. Successful lysis of occluded prosthetic grafts will often require corrective angioplasty or surgical revision.