Autologous thrombin for treatment of pseudoaneurysms

Femoral pseudoaneurysms arise in up to 2% of patients after femoral cannulation for cardiac catheterisation. We used autologous thrombin for percutaneous obliteration of pseudoaneurysms occurring after catheterisation. We prepared autologous thrombin isolates from blood of ten patients with femoral pseudoaneurysms, and injected this solution into the pseudoaneurysms with duplex imaging guidance. We then assayed thrombin activity. All pseudoaneurysms were successfully thrombosed without substantial complications, although three patients needed a repeat procedure within 24 h. We have shown that autologous thrombin-induced thrombosis of pseudoaneurysms is reliable, simple, safe, and cheaper than commercial bovine or human thrombin, and avoids risks of anaphylaxis and contamination with prions.