[Significance of revascularization in arterially-induced mesenteric infarct]

Until 1957 the only treatment of occlusion of mesenteric arteries was resection of the ischemic part of the bowel. A reduction of the extremely high mortality can be reached by the combination of mesenteric revasularisation with an optional resection of the necrotic parts of the bowel. Based on the experience with 57 patients operated on between 1970 and 1987, the survival rate (greater than 60 days after operation) could be improved by performing this regime. Reasons for this improvement are both the salvage of bowel length and the avoidance of the leak of bowel anastomosis. The latter was observed only in patients treated by bowel resection alone without revascularisation leading to death in three out of four cases.