[Experimental thrombolysis of thromboembolisms in the middle cerebral artery circulatory area]

Since the majority of ischaemic cerebral infarcts is caused by thromboemboli, we determined the benefit of fibrinolytic therapy in acute stroke. Thromboemboli were induced in the middle cerebral artery of 21 dogs. Urokinase was started at different time intervals after infarction (1, 3 and 5 hours) at a rate of 1000 IU/kg/min. Angiographically controlled thrombolysis was achieved in all 15 treated cases, whereas in the control group (n = 6) no case of recanalisation was observed. Systemic fibrinolysis occurred in all cases. Postmortem examinations of the brains showed no intracerebral haemorrhages. Our findings indicate that urokinase treatment may be of value in acute ischaemic stroke.