Acute embolic occlusions of the infrainguinal arteries: percutaneous aspiration embolectomy in 102 patients.

Percutaneous aspiration embolectomy (PAE) was performed on acute embolic occlusions of infrainguinal arteries unrelated to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or chronic atherosclerotic arterial occlusive disease. Of 102 patients, most (62.7% [n = 64]) had limb-threatening ischemia (stages III and IV according to the Fontaine classification); 86.3% (n = 88) had cardiac disease that caused the embolic occlusion. The clinical success rate was 87.3% (n = 89). Major complications occurred in 8.8% (n = 9) of the cases. The 30-day mortality was 3.9% (n = 4). In comparison with Fogarty-catheter embolectomy, PAE has a higher success rate and a lower mortality. PAE has several advantages: It is a simple technique with reduced invasiveness, combines a diagnostic and a therapeutic procedure, enables treatment of tibial and pedal vessels, and can be combined with all other angioplastic methods.