Thrombolysis by intracoronary streptokinase infusion in patients with acute ischaemic syndromes.

Intracoronary streptokinase was administered to 40 patients with acute myocardial ischaemic syndromes in an effort to restore antegrade flow in the affected vessel by thrombolysis. This was successful, with total occlusion of the vessel, in 66% of cases. Restoration of antegrade flow by the intracoronary administration of nitroglycerin was successful in only 1 case (2%). Subsequent study showed that re-occlusion of an initially patent vessel had occurred in 43% of cases and that recanalization had occurred in 62% of cases in which the vessel had initially remained occluded. Complications comprised reperfusion arrhythmias (55%), serious haemorrhage (8%) and reinfarction (8%). Intracoronary thrombolysis with restoration of antegrade flow was safely achieved in the majority of cases.