However, because access to invasive facilities is limited in many countries, thrombolytic therapy is still employed in many centers worldwide for treating acute myocardial infarction. Moreover, rt-PA based thrombolysis still is an important strategy to treat ischemic stroke and to a lesser extent, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis; it has even been used to restore the blood flow in occluded central venous access ports and in the frozen limbs of mountaineers, resulting in a spectacular decrease in the amputation rate.