ABSTRACT
Successful treatment of deep vein thrombosis by lysis therapy leads to recanalisation of the occluded vessel saving the venous flaps, thus limiting postthrombotic syndrome. Systemic lysis therapy carries an increased risk of fatal complications (1-2%). However, loco-regional lysis therapy with rtPA stands out as a method of recanalisation without increased complications compared to compression and anticoagulation therapy. According to the leading opinion about systemic lysis therapy it should only be performed if thrombotic age does not exceed 10 days. In this study we examined whether loco-regional lysis therapy is successful with older thrombosis, too. We showed that in thromboses older than 10 days lysis success was slightly decreased whereas postthrombotic syndrome doubled (up to 50%). These results point out loco-regional lysis as a method suitable for thromboses with age up to 10 days only.
