Recent advancements in the treatment of peripheral arterial embolism.

Abstract

While treatment of an embolism of the peripheral arteries has within the course of the last 50 years evolved through the broad classic stages of desperate innovation and ingenious resort to every available means of therapy which are common to most medical emergencies, nevertheless the combination of surgical removal of the embolus at the earliest possible moment plus the prophylactic use of anticoagulant therapy has emerged as the soundest and most widely accepted method of treatment. Recent advancements concern themselves primarily with refinement and progressive application of these two approaches to treatment. The compelling logic of surgical removal of an arterial embolus has stood the test of time. It is interesting that surgical removal of emboli was first suggested by John Hunter 1 in 1768. It was not until 1895, however, that an attempt was made to remove an embolus by Sabanejeff, 2 and it was 15 years later, after