[Symptoms and therapy of aortic bifurcation embolism]

31 patients underwent embolectomy for acute embolism of the aortic bifurcation. In most instances paralysis of the extremity (84%) was present, sudden onset of pain (16%) was less common. Neurological disease had been considered in 55%. The heart was source of emboli in 92%. Postoperative complications were mainly due to renal failure (23%) and irreversible limb ischemia (10%) requiring amputation. Mortality after embolism of the bifurcation was 39%. The major cause of death was cardiac failure (58%) followed by renal failure and pulmonary embolism. Even after long delay (4 weeks) successful operation is possible due to adequate collateral circulation supplying the extremity until the blockade is removed.