Heparin and exercise treatment in a patient with arteriosclerosis obliterans

A 65-year-old man was admitted with a diagnosis of arteriosclerosis obliterans. He had a 3-month history of intermittent claudication of the right leg. Physical examination revealed absence of pulsation of the right posterior tibial artery. Contrast angiography of lower extremities showed several obstructive lesions below the right popliteal artery. As interventional and surgical approached were not indicated, the patient was treated with exercise with heparin pretreatment (5,000 IU). As a result, walk distance on a floor was increased from 400 m to 2,000 m, and repeat magnetic resonance angiography revealed increased flow to the right lower extremity. Thus, he was successfully treated with exercise and heparin pretreatment without any side effects.