UPPER-LIMB EMBOLISM - MEDICAL-TREATMENT

Emboli in the upper limb occur much less often than in other territori es. They usually cause subacute ischaemia due to the importance of the arterial anastomotic network. Medical treatment is thus often suftici ent. An analysis of the data in the literature show that medical treat ment can give results comparable to surgery. Medical management should only be proposed as a complementary treatment when acute sensitivomot or acute ischaemia threatens the upper limb since priority must be pla ced on immediate restoration of the arterial flow (J Mal Vasc 1996; 21 , Suppl. A: pages 68-71).