[Local fibrinolysis of peripheral arterial occlusions]

Since their discovery more than 60 years ago fibrinolytic agents have shown their therapeutical efficiency in myocardial infarction and other thromboembolic disorders in clinical studies. Local catheter fibrinolysis as an alternative to surgical embolectomy was established in the mid eighties. Fibrin-specific agents such as rt-PA and pulse-spray fibrinolysis as a new catheter technology were developed in order to improve the efficiency of local fibrinolysis and to minimize complications such as bleeding. The purpose of this paper is to review the historical and recent developments of fibrinolytic agents and catheter technologies, and to describe the methods, indications, and complications of local fibrinolysis.