Acute limb ischemia.

Acute ischemia of the extremity may be due to arterial occlusion from spontaneous thrombosis, embolus, arterial bypass graft thrombosis, trauma, or spasm. The presence of occlusion or stenosis can be determined noninvasively with the use of duplex Doppler ultrasonography. Most patients will require arteriography prior to thrombolytic or surgical therapy. New techniques, such as percutaneous aspiration thrombolectomy, expand the role of radiologic percutaneous therapy of the acutely ischemic limb. Prompt diagnosis and therapy are required to avoid limb loss or systemic metabolic complications from reperfusion of a dying limb.