[Loco-regional fibrinolysis in peripheral arterial bypasses. Our experience]

Thirty-one patients (29 males and 2 females) with 34 thrombosed grafts were treated by direct intra-arterial infusion of urokinase; the lesions were acute in 27 cases and chronic (2-4 months) in 4. Urokinase was infused in doses of 50,000 UI/h. Angiographic follow-up exams were performed every 12 hours. The infusion was stopped when lumen patency was re-established and there was no significant mural thrombus or peripheral embolus. Treatment usually lasted 4-72 hours (average: 18 hours). The hematological status was controlled by measuring plasma fibrinogen, coagulation time, partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin and antiplasmin time. Initial success rate was 76% (23 patients). Overall 1-year patency was 56% in 23 cases: 85% in the patients with correctable lesions by means of surgery or PTA, and 46% in the patients with non-correctable lesions. After the first period, patency remained high in the patients followed up to 5 years. Our experience confirms that lysis of a thrombosed graft is possible by the local infusion of a low-dose fibrinolytic agent and exhibits high success rate and low complication rate in acute and chronic obstructions.