OBJECTIVETo discuss the cause and treatment of acute limb ischemia in endovascular therapy of the lower extremity arterial occlusive disease.

METHODSClinical data of 54 cases of acute limb ischemia in the endovascular treatment of 685 cases of lower extremity arterial occlusive disease from June 2003 to April 2012 was analyzed retrospectively. There were 43 male and 11 female patients, with a mean age of 72.3 years (ranging from 56 to 82 years). The major causes which resulted in acute limb ischemia included: arterial embolization of 43 cases, arterial thrombosis of 8 cases, arterial dissection of 3 cases. The acute limb ischemia occurred in the process of balloon angioplasty/stent in 36 cases, catheter-directed thrombolysis in 17 cases, Silverhawk atherectomy in 1 cases. Thirty-two cases were treated by endovascular treatment, 9 cases by surgical procedures (bypass or embolectomy), 13 cases by the combination of endovascular therapy and surgical procedures.

RESULTSTreatment were successfully accomplished in 50 of 54 cases, and failed in 4 cases which had surgical amputation. There were no deaths in all the patients. Forty-five of 54 cases were followed up for the average of 40.3 months. Six cases had ischemic symptoms recurrence in 43 artery embolization patients, in whom 4 cases were cured by endovascular treatment, 2 cases were cured by toe amputation. One case of bypass anastomotic stenosis and one case of stent restenosis were successfully cured by endovascular treatment in 8 arterial thrombosis patients. One cases of below-knee artery stent occlusion in 3 arterial dissection patients was cured by medical treatment. Four cases of amputation patients were followed up in good condition.

CONCLUSIONSMost patients of acute limb ischemia complicated in endovascular therapy could be treated by endovascular therapy. Surgical procedures in time is still the best choice for the patients in whom the endovascular therapy was not satisfied.