BACKGROUND: Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a clinical entity with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Despite advances and variety of its management, there is still no criterion standard treatment. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of tirofiban use on the early and 6-month prognosis of patients with knee and below-knee arterial thrombosis who were treated with percutaneous thrombosuction (PT) within 24 h.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data of consecutive ALI patients who were diagnosed with popliteal and infra-popliteal arterial thrombosis and underwent PT procedure within 24 h between January 2010 and September 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were separated into 2 groups according to tirofiban usage.

RESULTS: A total of 105 patients (mean age 67±16; 53% men) were included in the study. Atrial fibrillation (n 64, 61%) and hypertension (n 60, 57%) were the most frequent comorbidities in patients with thromboembolic events. A significantly higher rate of distal embolization (6% vs. 16%; p=0.01) and slow-flow (17% vs. 30%; p<0.01) developed in patients who were not treated with tirofiban after the PT procedure. Although major and minor bleeding were more frequent in the tirofiban group, only the rate minor bleeding was statistically significant (29% vs. 9%, p=0.001). Reverse embolic event ratio was similar in both groups. Although there was a higher rate of amputation in patients not treated with tirofiban, the difference was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Adding tirofiban to PT reduces angiographic thromboembolic complications. Usage of tirofiban in patients prone to thromboembolic events may be useful for improving success of the PT procedure, with a reasonable bleeding ratio.

Keywords: Catheterization, Peripheral, Embolism and Thrombosis, peripheral arterial disease