Thrombolysis of infrapopliteal bypass grafts: efficacy and underlying angiographic pathology

The purpose of this study was to determine retrospectively the effectiveness of thrombolysis of occluded infrapopliteal bypass grafts and to identify factors affecting success.

The records of 52 consecutive patients (52 grafts) who underwent selective urokinase thrombolysis of grafts to the pedal or tibial arteries were reviewed. The need for subsequent surgery and the influence of diabetes on outcome were analyzed.

There were 43 vein and nine Goretex (W-L Gore, Flagstaff, AZ) and vein composite grafts inserting into tibial and peroneal arteries (n = 28) or pedal arteries (n = 24). Mean time of follow-up was 19 months. All grafts were entered, and technical success was achieved in 73% of patients. Twenty-six patients required some form of graft revision. Overall patency at 30 days was 76%. Thirty-day limb-salvage and mortality rates were 82% and 4%, respectively. No significant difference was found in 1-yr outcomes between diabetic and nondiabetic patients or between pedal and tibial grafts. Major complications occurred in eight patients (15%).

Thrombolysis of occluded grafts that insert into the pedal or tibial vessels was as effective as thrombolysis of more proximal grafts and native arterial thrombolysis, which have reported 30-day limb-salvage rates that range between 80% and 90%. Diabetes and grafting to foot vessels did not adversely affect response to thrombolysis. Surgery was often required to correct an underlying lesion revealed by thrombolysis. Despite the small size of the arteries to which the grafts were anastomosed, selective thrombolysis of occluded infrapopliteal bypass grafts proved to be an effective procedure.