Aortic Saddle Embolectomy

EMBOLIZATION to the aortic bifurcation accounts for 10% to 25% of all arterial emboli and has been associated with an operative mortality which approaches 75% and a limb salvage of approximately 15%.^1-3 Only 27 successful aortic bifurcation embolectomies had been reported prior to 1951.⁴ The dramatic improvement in operative results in the past 15 years is attributable to significant improvements in vascular surgical techniques and to earlier diagnosis and operative intervention.

Although the first arterial embolectomy was attempted in 1895 by Ssabenejeff,⁵ the first successful embolectomy was performed in 1911 by Labey.⁶ The first successful aortic bifurcation embolectomies were performed in 1912-1913 by Bauer⁷ and Key.⁸ These early surgeons noted the frequency of thrombus formation and propagation distal to the embolic obstruction and realized the desirability of a vascular surgical technique allowing complete extraction of the embolus and associated thrombus. This led to the