[Aneurysms of the visceral arteries: the diagnostic problems and therapeutic strategies]

Intestinal artery aneurysms are a rare clinical condition, usually asymptomatic. However, sometimes they occur as vascular emergency, with a mortality rate of about 75%. Therefore, their occasional diagnosis should be carefully considered as an indication for elective surgery. The authors report their experience in the surgical management of 3 cases of intestinal artery aneurysms respectively involving the splenic, the gastroduodenal and the inferior mesenteric artery. A review of the literature is also presented.