Revascularization Strategies for Acute and Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia: A Narrative Review

Jacob J Gries1, Takashi Sakamoto2,3, Bing Chen4

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA 17822, USA.

PubMed

Insights

Mesenteric ischemia diagnosis and treatment present challenges. Computed tomographic angiography is key for diagnosis, with surgery for acute cases and endovascular methods for chronic mesenteric ischemia.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Mesenteric ischemia, a condition of reduced blood flow to the intestines, poses diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.
  • Delayed diagnosis of mesenteric ischemia can lead to severe complications and reduced quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize recent advancements in diagnosing and treating acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia.
  • To highlight emergent intervention strategies for mesenteric ischemia.

Main Methods:

  • A narrative review of studies published between January 2022 and September 2023.
  • Literature search conducted using MEDLINE and Google Scholar.

Main Results:

  • Eleven studies from MEDLINE and 44 from Google Scholar were included.
  • Computed tomographic angiography is the preferred diagnostic tool for both acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia.

Conclusions:

  • Mesenteric ischemia presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
  • Open surgical intervention is the standard for acute mesenteric ischemia.
  • Endovascular techniques are the preferred approach for chronic mesenteric ischemia.