BACKGROUND: The treatment of acute arterial occlusion in children weighing less than 5 kg has been widely discussed. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the treatment of acute arterial occlusion after catheterization of the femoral artery in children weighing less than 10 kg using heparin alone and associated with streptokinase, and to compare the results of physical examination (such as diagnosis), reversal of the arterial occlusion, complications and laboratory tests between both methods. METHODS: Thirty cases of femoral artery occlusion were identified among 1,583 catheterizations in children at Instituto de Cardiologia de Porto Alegre between 1992 and 2000. The patients were divided into two groups: one used heparin alone (14 cases) and the other used heparin associated with streptokinase (16 cases). The laboratory tests (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen) performed before and during the intravenous infusion were statistically analyzed, as well as period of drug administration, complications and results. RESULTS: Physical examination proved to be reliable to evaluate occlusion; in the group using heparin associated with streptokinase, there was resolution of the arterial occlusion in 87% of cases, and the main complication was bleeding at the puncture site, which was present in 56.3% of the patients. These results showed p < 0.05. Laboratory tests were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Streptokinase associated with heparin is more effective on acute artery occlusions following femoral catheterization than heparin alone. Its association presents an 88% rate of relative risk reduction in relation to heparin alone.
Streptokinase; child; catheterization; arterial occlusion
