[Acute aortic and iliac artery occlusion: a banality in vascular surgery?].

From 1972 to 1986 70 acute occlusions of the aorta or bilateral iliac arteries were operated in our clinic. The occlusion was caused in 41 cases by embolisation, in 29 cases by thrombosis. Amputation rate was 22.8%, the mortality rate 42.8%. 71% of the patients were of extreme high risk regarding the operation as well as the anesthesia. In 44% of the patients the duration of complete ischemia was more than 6 h. Performance of intraoperative angioplasty (n = 10 patients) for dilatation of stenoses leading to thrombotic occlusions may lower the mortality rate.