Thrombolysis with recombinant human tissue-type plasminogen activator in patients with peripheral artery and bypass graft occlusions.

Thirty-three patients with thrombosed peripheral arteries and bypass grafts, as confirmed by angiography, were treated with recombinant human tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Twenty-six patients were treated with a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/hr and seven patients with 0.05 mg/kg/hr. Thrombus lysis and clinical improvement occurred in 22 of 26 (85%) patients in the 0.1 mg/kg/hr group. In seven of seven (100%) patients in the 0.05 mg/kg/hr group angiographic as well as clinical improvement were observed. Fifteen of the 33 patients required anticoagulation to maintain patency. Sixteen required secondary procedures to maintain patency. One (3%) patient required a blood transfusion for a hematoma at the catheter entry site. Three other patients developed small hematomas that were controlled without transfusion or intervention. Sixty-one percent of patients treated with the 0.01 mg/kg/hr dose and 86% of patients treated with the 0.05 mg/kg/hr dose maintained fibrinogen levels greater than 50% of their initial values. Infusion durations ranged from 1 to 6 hr (mean 3.9 hr). rt-PA appears to be a potent and selective thrombolytic agent that rapidly and safely lyses thrombi in peripheral arteries and occluded bypass grafts.