Occlusive mesenteric infarction. A retrospective study of 83 cases

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Abdominal Imaging

Background:

• Acute mesenteric infarction is a critical surgical emergency with high mortality.
• Occlusive disease of mesenteric vessels leads to intestinal ischemia.
• Chronic intestinal ischemia, presenting as abdominal angina, is often underdiagnosed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze outcomes of patients with acute mesenteric infarction.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical intervention.
• To highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of chronic intestinal ischemia.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 56 patients with occlusive mesenteric vascular disease over 10 years.
• Analysis of clinical presentation, treatment, and survival rates.
• Comparison of outcomes between acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia cases.

Main Results:

• Only 19% of surgically treated patients received intervention within 24 hours of symptom onset.
• Survival after surgery for acute mesenteric infarction was limited, with only 3 patients surviving small bowel resection for venous thrombosis.
• Patients with chronic intestinal ischemia undergoing elective arterial reconstruction had low mortality and satisfactory results.

Conclusions:

• Prompt surgical intervention in acute mesenteric infarction may improve survival but radical improvement is unlikely.
• Increased attention to diagnosing abdominal angina is crucial.
• Elective arterial reconstruction for chronic intestinal ischemia is a viable and effective treatment option.