title: Acute arterial thrombosis in the very young.
abstract: The case records of all infants under the age of 6 months who underwent surgery for acute arterial thrombosis between January 1980 and September 1991 were reviewed. Seven infants (nine ischemic limbs) were identified and ranged in age from 5 days to 5 1/2 months (mean 2.4 months); all weighed less than 5 kg (mean 3.9 kg). The cause in each case was iatrogenic. Diagnosis was based on the presence of a cool, mottled extremity associated with the absence of insonated peripheral arterial Doppler signals. Treatment included aortoiliac thrombectomy (n = 2), femoral artery thrombectomy with primary closure (n = 4), femoral artery thrombectomy with autogenous saphenous vein patch (n = 1), and axillary artery thrombectomy with end-to-end anastomosis (n = 1). Palpable pulses were restored in five (56%) of nine limbs and Doppler signals in the remaining limbs. There were no instances of limb loss. Excluding aortoiliac thrombectomy, palpable peripheral pulses were reestablished in only 40% of extremities. Thrombectomy is a safe and simple procedure in even the very youngest of patients with arterial insufficiency, but surgical optimism should be tempered by frequent inability to achieve full and durable success.
authors.affiliation: Joseph B. Whitehead Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Chaikof
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Dodson
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Salam
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lumsden
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D001366:Axillary Artery / Q000601:surgery; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000601:surgery; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014463:Ultrasonography