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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Multimodality Diagnosis of Mesenteric Ischemia
Published on: July 21, 2023
D-dimer as a marker for early diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia
Hüseyin Altinyollar1, Mustafa Boyabatli, Uğur Berberoğlu
1Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Batikent-Ankara, Turkey. huseyinaltinyollar@yahoo.com
Introduction:
Acute obstruction of mesenteric artery generally has an unfavorable prognosis because of late diagnosis. In this study we evaluated the diagnostic value of plasma D-dimer level as an early indicator in acute mesenteric ischemia in rats caused by ligation of superior mesenteric artery.
Materials And Methods:
Twenty-eight mature male Wistar rats were used in the study. These were divided into four groups, each consisting of seven rats. In group I, after performing a simple laparotomy, blood was sampled at minute 30. In group II, first the superior mesenteric artery was ligated, and blood samples were taken at the 30th minute. Group III consisted of rats undergoing a simple laparotomy and blood samples were taken 7 h later. From the subjects in group IV blood samples were obtained 7 h after the ligation of their superior mesenteric artery.
Results:
Plasma D-dimer levels of the ligated groups were significantly higher both at the 30th minute and the 7th hour compared to the levels of those having undergone simple laparotomies (p<0.002). Likewise, this level was higher in the 7th hour blood samples of the ligated group than in the 30th minute (p<0.008).
Conclusions:
In rats undergoing acute mesenteric ischemia by ligation of superior mesenteric artery, plasma D-dimer levels increase with the duration of the intestinal ischemia period. This finding suggests that the measurement of the plasma D-dimer levels might be a useful tool for the early diagnosis of acute mesenteric obstruction.
Insights
Plasma D-dimer levels significantly increase in rats with acute mesenteric ischemia. This suggests D-dimer measurement is a valuable tool for early diagnosis of mesenteric artery obstruction.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Diagnostic Medicine
- Animal Research Models
Background:
- Acute mesenteric artery obstruction often presents late, leading to poor outcomes.
- Early diagnosis is crucial for improving prognosis in mesenteric ischemia.
- This study investigates plasma D-dimer as an early diagnostic marker.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of plasma D-dimer levels in acute mesenteric ischemia.
- To assess the correlation between D-dimer levels and the duration of ischemia in a rat model.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups.
- Groups included sham laparotomy and superior mesenteric artery ligation, with blood sampling at 30 minutes and 7 hours.
- Plasma D-dimer levels were measured in all groups.
Main Results:
- Plasma D-dimer levels were significantly elevated in ligated groups compared to sham groups at both time points (p<0.002).
- D-dimer levels showed a significant increase from 30 minutes to 7 hours post-ligation (p<0.008).
Conclusions:
- Plasma D-dimer levels rise with increasing duration of intestinal ischemia in acute mesenteric ischemia models.
- Plasma D-dimer measurement shows potential as a useful early diagnostic indicator for acute mesenteric obstruction.
