Morphological abnormalities revealed after successful intra-arterial thrombolysis of infra-inguinal native arteries and bypasses.
OBJECTIVE
To characterise morphological abnormalities depicted after successful intra-arterial thrombolysis; to determine whether these differed in infra-inguinal native arteries and bypasses; and to evaluate whether balloon angioplasty was an appropriate treatment of stenoses in the acute phase after thrombolysis.


METHODS
Patient records, radiology records, and angiograms from 47 patients with acute or subacute occlusions of infra-inguinal arteries (n = 21) or bypasses (n = 26) successfully treated with continuous intra-arterial infusion of streptokinase, urokinase or tissue plasminogen activator were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
Angiographic morphological abnormalities were depicted in 18 of 21 arteries (86%) and in 23 of 26 bypasses (88%), the most common abnormality being stenoses. Haemodynamically significant stenoses were found in 15 arteries (71%) and 18 bypasses (69%). The majority of the stenoses were successfully treated with balloon angioplasty, both in native arteries (12/15; 80%) and in bypasses (14/18; 78%).


CONCLUSIONS
Morphological abnormalities are most often shown after successful intra-arterial thrombolysis in arteries, autogenous and non-autogenous bypasses. In all types of conduits, stenoses are the most commonly revealed lesion, which in the majority of cases can be treated with balloon angioplasty. Short-term outcome after catheter-directed thrombolysis and angioplasty seems fair.
Sandbaek
G
G
Department of Radiology, Aker Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway.
Staxrud
L E
LE
Rosén
L
L
Kolmannskog
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*