Mesenteric venous thrombosis. Associated systemic disorders and hypercoagulability status of 21 surgical patients

Mesenteric venous thrombosis (MVT) is a rare condition with a challenging diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate its association with systemic diseases and coagulation disorders.

Out of 132 patients operated on because of mesenteric ischemia between 1988 and 2002, all patients with a documented MVT were retrospectively recorded. Epidemiological and clinical data, complications and perioperative mortality were analyzed.

Twenty-one patients, 10 male and 11 female, had MVT. Mean age was 63.8 years (SD: +/- 20.9). Arterial hypertension (57.1%) was the most prevalent associated condition. Other associated disorders were neoplasms (3 cases), liver cirrhosis (1 case), recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism (1 case), and one or more coagulation disorders (7 cases): lupus anticoagulant (2 cases); factor V Leiden (2 cases); protein S deficiency (3 cases); antithrombin III deficiency (1 case) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (1 case). Perioperative mortality was 33.3% (7 patients). Mean survival at the end of the study was 65.73 months (EE: 13.82). Patients with a coagulation disorder had a higher survival rate than those presenting without it (p = 0.02).

MVT is still a lethal condition with a high morbidity that could be associated to systemic disorders and hypercoagulability syndromes in more than 50% of the cases.