Acute Lower Extremity Ischemia Following an Intervention Requiring a Femoral Vein Access

Abstract

Acute limb ischemia is defined as a sudden and rapidly progressing decrease in limb perfusion, usually producing new or worsening symptoms or signs, and often threatening limb viability. Acute limb ischemia is most commonly caused by an acute thrombotic occlusion of a preexisting stenotic arterial segment (60% of cases) or by embolus (30%). Prompt diagnosis and urgent medical and percutaneous/surgical interventions are warranted. If not identified and addressed immediately, decreased perfusion and thrombosis can result in a high degree of limb loss–related morbidity. This report focuses on a rare case of an acute lower extremity ischemia following a lower extremity femoral vein access site–related intervention.