Thrombolysis in arterial graft thrombosis.

Abstract

to assess the impact of peripheral arterial thrombolysis for vascular graft occlusion. Retrospective review. University Hospital. Thirty-one patients presented with 33 episodes of graft thrombosis. Successful thrombolysis in terms of total clearance or sufficient clearance to reveal an underlying factor responsible for graft failure. Thrombolysis was successful in seven of 10 suprainguinal grafts (4 of 5 rtPA; 3 of 5 SK). One patient had failed lysis requiring an ilio-femoral graft. Of the seven patients with successful lysis, one required revision of a proximal anastomosis, two required distal anastomotic revisions, and one rethrombosed. Twenty-three thrombosed infrainguinal grafts were managed initially with intraarterial thrombolysis (9rtPA, 14 SK). Of 27 patients surviving at 30 days, seven required major amputation despite aggressive intervention. Thrombosed suprainguinal grafts are amenable to thrombolysis and adjunctive surgery when necessary, with no major haemorrhagic complications. The majority of patients with thrombosed infrainguinal grafts require surgical intervention in order to preserve, or establish long term patency. For polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts, thrombolysis was associated with poor success, haemorrhagic complications and a high amputation rate.