[Acute vascular abdomen: personal experience and review of the literature]

Acute vascular abdomen presents an incidence of 1% of all cases of acute abdomen, but the mortality rate is high, ranging from 50 to 80%. Acute mesenteric ischaemia and rupture of abdominal aorta aneurysms are the most frequent causes. Prevention of causal agents and early diagnosis are the only elements capable of improving patient survival. The authors report their personal experience over the period from 1996 to June 2002, analysing different clinical cases of acute vascular abdomen and their diagnostic and therapeutic management and comparing their experience with the relevant literature data.