ABSTRACT
According to the TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus document (1), treatment of acute
ischemia depends on the clinical stage. In stages I (viable) and IIa (threatened: marginal),
surgical treatment with open embolectomy or thrombectomy as well as thrombolysis are
accepted concepts. In stage IIb (threatened: immediate), fogarty embolectomy is the treatment
of choice, while thrombolysis is not recommended due to potential complications that may
result from bleeding into revascularized tissue resulting in compartment syndrome. In early
stage III (irreversible), surgical thrombectomy may be utilized, but in advanced stage III cases,
only amputation remains the principal option.
