Interventional Radiology Management of Vascular Obstruction

Vascular obstructions in small animals have numerous etiologies and variable signs depending on location and chronicity. The decision to treat and by which method (medical, interventional, surgical) can be challenging. A combined approach of catheter-directed thrombolysis, angioplasty, or vascular stenting may be most appropriate for acute thrombosis, though optimal therapeutic strategies are undefined in this population. The role of embolic trapping devices in animals is uncertain. Chronic cases of vascular obstruction, with collateral flow and neither ischemia nor venous congestion manifest, may be conservatively managed. Prospective clinical studies are needed to better guide management of vascular obstructions in veterinary medicine.