[Thrombolytic therapy in arterial thrombosis producing acute ischemia of the lower limbs]

Efficiency of the thrombolytic therapy in the acute arterial thrombosis (producing an acute ischemia of the lower limbs) with streptokinase has been assessed in 35 patients treated in the selected departments of vascular surgery in Poland. Complete recovery has been noted in 9 patients (25.7%) in whom limb functioning with detectable peripheral pulse have been restored. An improvement has been achieved in 12 (34.3%) patients and moderate result in 4 (11.4%) patients. The limb has been amputated in 7 (20%) patients, and 3 patients (8.6%) died. Similar results have been observed in case of ischemia of duration period below 12 hours, between 12 and 24 hours, and between 24 and 72 hours. The results have been worse when thrombolytic therapy was introduced after 72 hours.