Visceral infarction following aortic surgery

An experience with aortic surgery is reported which reveals that visceral ischemia is more frequent than expected and significantly contributes to operative mortality. Two of five deaths among 84 patients who had aorto-iliac occlusive disease and four of 40 deaths among 103 aneurysmectomies (both ruptured and elective) were related to visceral ischemia. A review of the literature reveals 99 cases of colonic ischemia in more than 6,100 cases of aortic surgery, an incidence of 1.5%. Only 10 cases of small bowel ischemia were recorded. The present experience with 9 cases of colon ischemia and one of small bowel ischemia is presented particularly with reference to pathophysiology and prevention. It is concluded that patients should be identified by appropriate angiography if considered a risk for visceral infarction, and, if present, visceral arterial reconstruction should be performed in addition to aortic reconstructive surgery. Colon infarction following aortic aneurysmal surgery is directly related to ligation of a patent IMA. Thus re-implantation of the patent IMA should be considered.