Mortality rate following lower limb arterial embolectomy: causative factors.

The series reported includes 85 patients who underwent arterial embolectomy for 101 embolic events. The over-all hospital mortality rate following embolectomy was 41 percent. The etiological factors for this high mortality rate are analyzed. The group includes 58 patients who had arteriosclerotic heart disease and 27 patients with rheumatic valvular disease. The mortality rate encountered in the arteriosclerotic group of patients was 52.9 percent, whereas that in the rheumatic group of patients was 18 percent. The major cause of death was cardiorespiratory failure (51 percent). Factors which weighed heavily on the final outcome were previous myocardial infarction, hypertension, diabetes, cardiac decompensation, and rhythm disturbances. Limb salvage was accomplished in 51 patients (60 percent). Amputation was performed in 17 patients (20 percent).