Intraarterial streptokinase infusion for acute popliteal and tibial artery occlusion

Eight consecutive patients with acute thrombotic or embolic occlusion of the popliteal or tibial artery were treated with low-dose intraarterial streptokinase followed by arterial reconstructive surgery where appropriate. Three patients had acute thrombosis of a popliteal aneurysm with limb-threatening ischemia. All three were relieved of their acute ischemia by streptokinase infusion accompanied by lysis of clots in the popliteal artery outflow tract. Each patient then underwent elective popliteal aneurysm bypass. Four patients had acute embolic popliteal or tibial artery occlusion. Each was relieved of ischemic symptoms. One required surgery to remove residual clot. One patient with thrombosis of the tibioperoneal trunk did not have a decrease in symptoms with streptokinase infusion, but did experience sufficient outflow tract thrombolysis to permit construction of a tibial bypass with resultant restoration of normal circulation. Low-dose intraarterial streptokinase may be the treatment of choice for selected patients who present with thrombosis of a popliteal aneurysm with tibial vessel involvement or with embolic popliteal or tibial artery occlusion.