title: The role of intravenous streptokinase in acute arterial occlusions after cardiac catheterization.
abstract: Arterial occlusions after cardiac catheterization are usually treated surgically. We report four patients with femoral thrombosis or distal emboli that developed after cardiac catheterization. Each patient was treated successfully with intravenous streptokinase. Therapy was initiated 1-60 hr after the procedure. The duration of infusion lasted 4-42 hr (mean 27 hr). Pulses were restored 4-19 hr (mean 10 hr) after the beginning of infusion. There was no major hemorrhagic complication, even in patients with very early streptokinase infusion. Thus intravenous streptokinase may be an alternate choice to surgery for arterial occlusions after invasive procedures.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007511:Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D013300:Streptokinase