[The radiological diagnosis of acute intestinal ischaemia (author's transl)]

Angiography was carried out in 27 patients with acute intestinal ischaemia. In 23 patients a primary, and in four a secondary vascular cause was found. Plain films are of little value in the early diagnosis of mesenteric infarcts, since radiologically demonstrable changes first develop after 10 to 12 hours following the incident. A definitive early diagnosis of an acute mesenteric infarct can only be made by angiography. Surgical intervention for proximal mesenteric artery occlusion is only likely to be successful if carried out within 10 hours. 80% of six patients with major occlusions and five with angiospastic mesenteric insufficiency died. One out of three embolectomies was successful. Amongst seven patients with occlusions of jejunal and ileal branches, just over half died; three out of four embolectomies were successful. Five patients with ileal occlusions survived.