Tibial bypass salvage with eptifibatide in a patient with thrombocythemia

Abstract

Early graft failure is a complex and challenging clinical condition faced by vascular surgeons performing infrainguinal bypass surgery. This case describes a patient with undiagnosed thrombocytosis undergoing urgent open revascularization for critical limb ischemia. The operative case was complicated by recurrent on-table acute thrombosis that was successfully managed with intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonism with eptifibatide. This is a novel case of its use for on-table salvage of an infrainguinal bypass graft. This case report outlines this challenging clinical problem and a novel use for glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists.