Arterial Embolism of the Lower Limbs

SUMMARY Twenty‐nine cases of arterial embolus of the lower limbs over an eight‐year period are reviewed from the case records of this hospital. Of these, 18 patients were in atrial fibrillation and 19 finally died. Of the total, five were subjected to arteriography. All five presented an appearance of block in the arterial tree, a block which in each case presented a crescentic upper margin, with convexity proximal which it is considered may be characteristic of embolus. The sites of block were in four the popliteal artery and in one the external iliac artery. Of the five patients, three underwent embolectomy and in the other two there was little clinical doubt that the obstruction was in fact due to embolus. It is suggested that this arterio‐graphic picture may in some cases be useful in differentiating embolic from thrombotic arterial obstruction.