[Surgical aspects in arterial occlusion (author's transl)]

Acute arterial occlusion was found to be the most frequent emergency (10%) among vascular patients of the Department of Surgery of the University of Düsseldorf. Rheumatic heart diseases receded as etiological factors whereas atherosklerotic obstructive diseases exhibited a clear increasing tendency. Operation is urgent if acute ischemia is present. The best method is represented by embolectomy by means of the Fogarty-catheter, if it is performed within the first 6 to 12 hours after or vascular occlusion. Angiography is only indicated if ischemia is not complete or if the cartoid artery or great visceral arteries are involved. In cases of incomplete occlusion embolectomy may be successful even after days and weeks. Mortality after these operations is found to be 18 to 20%, the rate of amputation being 9%. The final results of operative results are better in arterial embolism than in arterial thrombosis.