Thrombolytic therapy in infants for femoral artery thrombosis following cardiac catheterisation.

Little information is available on the use of thromobolytic therapy in infants for femoral artery thrombosis after cardiac catheterisation. We report 12 cases (mean age: 4 months; range: 1-9 months) who received intravenous streptokinase (3000 U/kg bolus, 1000 U/kg/h) infusion. Five of them had undergone transarterial balloon dilatation procedures. Streptokinase was administered 48 h after catheterisation and continued for 4-20 h (mean 11.5 h). No detailed haematologic monitoring was done during therapy. Distal pulses were restored in all the patients. No complications were seen except a minor local ooze in two patients. We found that intravenous streptokinase is a safe and effective therapy for femoral artery thrombosis following cardiac catheterisation in infants.