ACUTE MESENTERIC ISCHÆMIA

The experience of acute mesenteric ischæmia at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, has been reviewed over 17 years. The mortality remains appallingly high. This applies particularly to those patients who had thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery, amongst whom the mortality in this series was 97%. The mortality was slightly less in the group suffering from embolic occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (66%), and in those suffering from thrombosis of the superior mesenteric vein (60%). A mortality of 66% was also found in patients suffering from non-occlusive gut ischæmia. Delay in diagnosis accounted for this high mortality. Early diagnosis is all-important, and this depends on the performance of mesenteric angiography in any patient suspected of having mesenteric ischæmia. Appropriate surgery may then be carried out in the occlusive group and supportive treatment, including intraarterial papaverine infusion, given to those with non-occlusive ischæmia. There is a pressing need for simple non-invasive tests to segregate those patients suffering from acute mesenteric ischæmia from those whose acute abdomen is due to some other cause.     

Systematic review of survival after acute mesenteric ischaemia according to disease aetiology

BACKGROUND: Differentiation of acute mesenteric ischaemia on the basis of aetiology is of great importance because of variation in disease progression, response to treatment and outcome. The aim of this study was to analyse the published data on survival following acute mesenteric ischaemia over the past four decades in relation to disease aetiology and mode of treatment. METHOD: A systematic review of the available literature from 1966 to 2002 was performed. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis of data derived from 45 observational studies containing 3692 patients with acute mesenteric ischaemia showed that the prognosis after acute mesenteric venous thrombosis is better than that following acute arterial mesenteric ischaemia; the prognosis after mesenteric arterial embolism is better than that after arterial thrombosis or non-occlusive ischaemia; the mortality rate following surgical treatment of arterial embolism and venous thrombosis (54.1 and 32.1 per cent respectively) is less than that after surgery for arterial thrombosis and non-occlusive ischaemia (77.4 and 72.7 per cent respectively); and the overall survival after acute mesenteric ischaemia has improved over the past four decades. CONCLUSION: There are large differences in prognosis after acute mesenteric ischaemia depending on aetiology. Surgical treatment of arterial embolism has improved outcome whereas the mortality rate following surgery for arterial thrombosis and non-occlusive ischaemia remains poor.     

Lysis therapy of thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery

INTRODUCTION: For surgeons the acute intestinal ischaemia is still a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. If clinically suspected, the diagnostic procedures such as duplex sonography and arterial angiography should be carried out immediately. Although the diagnosis is often quickly clear, perioperative mortality rate remains high. We report the acute local thrombolytic therapy as an alternative treatment. CASE REPORT: A 80-year-old male patient was referred to our hospital with a complete occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. Duplex sonography and the arterial angiogram confirmed the clinical diagnosis. Because the patient was assessed to be at high risk we decided to avoid an operation and local thrombolytic therapy using rt-PA and urokinase was carried out. RESULT: The local thrombolytic therapy was successful and led to a complete restoration of the arterial flow within the superior mesenteric artery. The clinical symptoms subsided and no complications were observed. CONCLUSION: Local thrombolytic therapy appears to be a suitable therapeutic option in patients suffering of mesenteric arterial occlusion. Although the duplex sonography often confirms the diagnosis with high accuracy the angiography remains the diagnostic gold standard.     

Acute mesenteric ischaemia.

To identify any differences in presentation among the four types of acute mesenteric ischaemia, and to correlate time between presentation and treatment with outcome, we retrospectively analysed 100 cases of acute mesenteric ischaemia at a University hospital diagnosed by radiography (n = 21), at laparotomy (n = 61), or at necropsy (n = 18). A total of 68 patients died. Mortality was 50% when the aetiology was embolic occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery and 95% when the occlusion was thrombotic; 67% when the disease was "non"-occlusive; and 30% in cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis. We conclude that early diagnosis is critical for successful management of acute mesenteric ischaemia, but outcome is also influenced by the aetiology.     

62例急性肠系膜上动脉栓塞的诊断和治疗

目的探讨急性肠系膜上动脉栓塞的临床表现及早期诊断和治疗方法。方法回顾性分析62例急性肠系膜上动脉栓塞患者的临床资料。结果术前确诊22例(35.5%)。62例患者均行肠系膜上动脉切开取栓,58例患者行坏死肠管切除术,其中35例患者行多次肠管切除术。术后16例患者死亡(25.8%)。术后随访3～24个月。结论肠系膜上动脉栓塞误诊率高,病死率高。对心律失常特别是房颤、心脏瓣膜病及既往有急性动脉栓塞病史患者突发剧烈腹痛,应警惕肠系膜上动脉栓塞可能。肠系膜上动脉切开取栓是治疗急性肠系膜上动脉栓塞缩小肠管切除范围有效方法。     

急性肠系膜缺血性疾病的诊断与治疗

目的总结急性肠系膜缺血性疾病的早期诊治经验。方法回顾性分析1988—2005年间诊治的35例急性肠系膜缺血性疾病病人的临床资料。发生在肠系膜动脉30例，肠系膜静脉5例。主要临床表现为急性腹痛（94％）；51％的病人有血清酶谱异常。结果全部病例均通过手术得以证实。4例行肠系膜上动脉置管溶栓，15例行Fogarty导管取栓术，16例行肠管切除。总病死率为23％，肠管坏死病例病死率为50％，多例病人术后出现再灌注损伤。结论动态观察血清酶谱变化有助于该类疾病的早期诊断，对术后再灌注损伤要高度重视。     

The early diagnosis of acute occlusive mesenteric ischaemia: experimental results and clinical applications.

The diagnosis of acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion in the dog has been achieved in every case by isotope scanning of the abdomen using technetium-labelled red cells or technetium-labelled human serum albumin. The white cell count is also significantly elevated, but the changes in the levels of the enzymes CPK, LDH, AST and serum amylase are not specific for actue mesenteric ischaemia. In the human the presence of a normal gut circulation can be demonstrated by isotope scanning provided that the patient is not severely shocked. The presence of a normal gut circulation as shown on the scintigram conclusively eliminates the possibility of acute main trunk occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. This should be of help in differentiating acute occulusive mesenteric ischaemia from other causes of the acute abdomen. Abdominal scintiscanning is complementary to angiography, which still remains the most precise means of diagnosing acute mesenteric ischaemia. Although the abdominal scintigram is more limited in its application and is not as accurate as angiography, it is quicker to perform, non-invasive, and entirely safe. Abdominal scintiscanning is an excellent screening test to be used in patients suspected of suffering from acute occlusive mesenteric ischaemia.     

Mesenteric ischaemia

Acute mesenteric ischaemic (AMI) is a life-threatening vascular condition from which outcomes are poor. It results from acute thrombosis or embolization of one or more mesenteric arteries. Chronic mesenteric ischaemia (CMI) is a clinical syndrome of abdominal pain after eating related to stenosis or occlusion of one or more mesenteric vessels associated with other cardiovascular disease. Mesenteric ischaemia can also result from hypoperfusion, non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia (NOMI), or mesenteric vein thrombosis (MVT).This article looks at the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of mesenteric ischaemia. It recognizes the need for resuscitation and time-critical resection of non-viable bowel and revascularization in the acute setting. Improving outcomes necessitates a multidisciplinary approach involving emergency medicine, diagnostic radiology, general surgery, vascular surgery, interventional radiology, anaesthetic, and critical care specialists.     

急性肠系膜上动脉闭塞的诊断与治疗

目的 探讨急性肠系膜上动脉闭塞的诊断与治疗.方法 对2000-2007年收治的15例急性肠系膜上动脉闭塞患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析.结果 本组15例患者中肠系膜上动脉栓塞11例,肠系膜上动脉血栓形成4例.入院后均行急诊剖腹探查术,其中2例行肠系膜上动脉取栓术,11例行肠系膜上动脉取栓加坏死肠管切除术,2例放弃手术.术后均行肝素等抗凝治疗.4例死亡,总病死率为27%.结论 对于有器质性心脏病的患者,如突然出现腹部疼痛,应警惕肠系膜上动脉闭塞的可能.早期诊断、早期行肠系膜上动脉取栓术是提高治愈率的关键.     

Gut ischaemia following cardiac surgery

Gut ischaemia following cardiac surgery carries a high mortality and is usually due to non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia. We reviewed 4464 patients undergoing cardiac surgery over a 5-year period. Sixteen of them developed gut ischaemia post-operatively, 13 of whom were discovered at laparotomies while the remaining 3 were post-mortem diagnoses. Eleven patients were found to have extensive ischaemia and all 11 died irrespective of the treatment and the delay in diagnosis. In five patients ischaemia was localized, involving the caecum in three and terminal ileum in two. They all underwent local resections and survived. The differences in the groups were analysed and the average time between onset of symptoms and laparotomies was longer in the localized ischaemia group compared to the extensive ischaemia group. Our experience illustrates the continuing difficulty in diagnosis of mesenteric ischaemia before gut infarction has occurred. We conclude that different pathologies might be involved in post-cardiac surgery gut ischaemia and although early diagnosis and treatment is considered to be crucial, early laparotomies do not necessarily equate to survival in cases of extensive ischaemia. There is a need to evaluate aggressive strategies for early diagnosis if prognosis is to be improved in these cases.     

Acute Mesenteric Ischaemia—<Emphasis Type="Italic">An Indian Perspective</Emphasis>

In Western countries, acute mesenteric ischaemia is commonly due to arterial occlusion and occurs in patients who are usually in their seventh decade. A venous cause for intestinal gangrene has been reported in only about 10 %. We examined whether this was so in India and compared the clinical features of patients with mesenteric arterial and venous ischaemia and relate these to their ultimate prognosis. We studied retrospectively, the records of all patients admitted or referred to the department with a diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischaemia between January 1997 and October 2012, noting their demographic details and mode of presentation, the results of preoperative imaging and blood investigations, the extent of bowel ischaemia, and the length of bowel that was resected at operation and their outcome. There were 117 patients, 85 males and 32 females whose median age was 53 years. Mesenteric venous thrombosis was seen in 56 patients (48 %) and mesenteric arterial occlusion in 61 (52 %). Forty six patients died (39 %); 15 with venous occlusion (27 %) and 31 with arterial occlusion (51 %). Compared to patients with arterial occlusion, the patients with venous obstruction were younger, had a longer duration of symptoms, were less frequently hypotensive at presentation, had higher platelet counts, had a shorter length of bowel resected, had fewer colonic resections and had a lower mortality. Other predictors of mortality on multivariate analysis were a longer duration of symptoms, lower serum albumin and higher creatinine levels at presentation and a shorter length of residual bowel. In India, acute mesenteric ischaemia in tertiary care centres is due to venous thrombosis in almost half of the patients who are at least a decade younger than those in the West. Significant predictors of mortality include low serum albumin and raised creatinine levels, a shorter residual bowel length and an arterial cause for mesenteric ischaemia.     

Preservation of small bowel with the selective use of heparin and second look laparotomy in acute mesenteric ischaemia: A case report

IntroductionAcute mesenteric ischaemia may occur due to mesenteric arterial embolus, thrombosis, non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia or venous thrombosis resulting in ischaemia of the bowel wall.Presentation of caseA 41 year old woman presented with worsening abdominal pain, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting. Examination revealed right lower quadrant tenderness. Investigations revealed elevation of her inflammatory markers. At laparotomy two separate segments of ischaemic but potentially viable small bowel were identified secondary to mesenteric venous thrombosis. Bowel salvage was attempted with the use of intravenous unfractionated heparin and this was confirmed following a second look laparotomy.DiscussionDespite a normal platelet count at presentation a diagnosis of JAK-2 positive essential thrombocythaemia was made thus explaining the acquired prothrombotic state underlying the venous thrombosis. The selective use of intravenous unfractionated heparin and second look laparotomy may provide a means for bowel preservation in these cases.ConclusionThis case highlights the potential of bowel salvage can be achieved following an episode of acute mesenteric ischaemia with the use of intravenous unfractionated heparin and selective second look laparotomy and the importance of considering underlying myeloproliferative disease in such cases even in the absence of a thrombocytosis at presentation.     

Intestinal infarction. Retrospective clinical study

Acute mesenteric ischaemia is the result of inadequate blood flow to all or part of the small intestine and the right half of the colon. Irrespective of the cause of the ischaemic insult, the end results are similar, namely, a spectrum of bowel injury ranging from completely reversible alterations of bowel function to transmural haemorrhagic necrosis of the intestinal wall. Depending on the degree of ischaemia and the length of bowel involved, a wide variety of clinical presentations are observed. Mesenteric infarction is a pathology which is encountered fairly often in elderly patients where the concomitance of other diseases make its prognosis more severe, especially since the diagnosis is usually late. The pessimism expressed more than 70 years ago concerning this disease is still shared by many physicians today. The authors report on their experience with 37 cases of mesenteric infarction. The median age of the patients was 77 years (range: 66-91). The mortality rate was 67.5% (25 deaths) which is in line with the results in the literature. The median hospital stay was 17 days (range: 10-71). The authors emphasise the difficulty of diagnosing and treating this entity, also in view of the fact that, in most centres, it is impossible to perform emergency selective angiography of the superior mesenteric artery. The need for an early specific diagnosis is stressed, because the therapeutic options may vary widely in relation to the different causes of acute intestinal ischaemia.     

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??Surgery of acute mesenteric artery embolism??the earlier the better XIN Shi-jie??WANG Lei. Department of Vascular and Thyroid Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001??China
Corresponding author??XIN Shi-jie??E-mail??xinshijie1963@aliyun.com
Abstract Acute mesenteric artery embolism (AMAE) is a clinically rarely acute severe vascular surgical disease??usually caused by emboli or thrombosis??partially caused by arteriosclerosis. Acute onset??rapid progression??misdiagnosed and high mortality are the main features of the disease. Such patients have a complex underlying disease??short-term occurrence of section or all of the small intestine dysfunction or necrosis is the main reason for poor prognosis. Early diagnosis and early medical or surgery intervention to remove the superior mesenteric artery occlusion state and restore intestinal blood flow??and conserve not necrotic bowel as much as possible is to reduce mortality and improve quality of life of patients. Long-term clinical work confirmed that occasion of open surgery for AMAE was generally partial late??and efficacy of endovascular treatment is less than satisfactory. It should encourage surgeon to grasp surgery gold points??perform more active and effective treatment of AMAE in order to make patient avoid suffering from a large area of intestinal necrosis and hazard multiple organ dysfunction then seek surgery.     

THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE OCCLUSIVE MESENTERIC ISCHAEMIA: EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

The diagnosis of acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion In the dog has been achieved in every case by Isotope scanning ol the abdomen using technetlum-iabelled red cells or technetlum-labelled human serum albumin. The white cell count is also significantly elevated, but the changes in the levels of the enzymes CPK, LDH, AST and serum amylase are not specific for acute mesenteric Ischaemia. In the human the presence of a normal gut circulation can be demonstrated by Isotope scanning provided that the patient Is not severely shocked. The presence of a normal gut circulation as shown on the scintigram conclusively eliminates the possibility of acute main trunk occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. This should be of help in differentiating acute occlusive mesenteric Ischaemia from other causes of the acute abdomen. Abdominal scintiscanning Is complementary to angiography, which still remains the most precise means of diagnosing acute mesenteric ischaemia. Although the abdominal scintigram is more limited in Its application and Is not as accurate as angiography, it Is quicker to perform, non-Invasive, and entirely safe. Abdominal scintiscanning is an excellent screening test to be used in patients suspected of suffering from acute occlusive mesenteric Ischaemia.     

Deciphering mesenteric venous thrombosis: imaging and treatment

The principal cause of a high mortality rate in mesenteric vein thrombosis (MVT) is a delay in diagnosis. Recent data indicate that the mortality rate is decreasing owing to earlier diagnosis and anticoagulation. The authors examined the treatment profile of MVT to see how the increased use of imaging and early anticoagulation has impacted this process. They retrospectively analyzed the treatment paradigm with acute MVT at one institution over a 10-year period. Twenty-three patients were identified. Data were analyzed using chi-squares and Student's t tests. Twenty-three patients (11 men and 12 women with an average age of 51.74 +/-14.8 years) were identified with acute MVT between the years of 1993 and 2003. Five patients had splenic vein thrombosis, 17 had superior mesenteric vein thrombosis, 1 had inferior mesenteric vein thrombosis, and 12 had portal vein thrombosis. Nine patients had combination mesenteric vein segment thrombosis. Thrombolytics were utilized in a total of 6 patients. Four of the 6 patients in whom lytics were utilized had combined mesenteric vein thrombosis; however, these 4 patients did not require surgical intervention. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay between patients taking lytics versus patients treated with traditional anticoagulation with heparin (p = 0.291). A hypercoagulable state was identified in 66.7% of the patients. Four patients required surgical intervention. The overall mortality rate was 8.7% (2 of 23). The use of thrombolytics was associated with a significant mortality (p = 0.04). The use of antibiotics made no difference in mortality (p = 0.235), nor did antibiotic use influence length of hospitalization (p = 0.192). MVT is relatively rare, and often the delay in diagnosis increases the mortality rate. In the majority of cases prompt anticoagulation will preserve bowel viability and decrease mortality and morbidity rates. The majority of patients do not need surgery. There is a marked increase in mortality rate when these patients progress to surgical intervention. An increased awareness and early diagnosis has led to decreased morbidity and mortality rates.     

Acute intestinal ischemia. A 14-year retrospective investigation

The records of 60 patients with acute intestinal ischemia treated between 1969 and 1982 were studied retrospectively. Fifty-three patients (88%) had thrombosis or embolus of the superior mesenteric artery and 7 patients (12%) occlusion of the superior mesenteric vein. Initial symptoms were obscure, although 25% presented with signs of peritonitis. The most frequently used investigation was plain abdominal X-ray with a positive finding in only 1/3. Forty-three patients (72%) were operated on. In 18 patients irreversible changes were found. Total mortality rate was 82%, in SMA-thromboembolism 85% and in SMV-thrombosis 57%. To improve the prognosis clinical awareness of the problem and attempts towards early diagnosis should be raised.     

Acute mesenteric ischemia

Acute mesenteric ischemia is not an isolated clinical entity, but a complex of diseases, including acute mesenteric arterial embolus and thrombus, mesenteric venous thrombus, and nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia. These diseases have common clinical features caused by impaired blood perfusion to the intestine, bacterial translocation, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. There is substantial evidence that the mortality associated with acute mesenteric ischemia varies according to its trigger cause. Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia is the most lethal form of the acute mesenteric ischemia, because of the poor understanding of its pathophysiology and its mild and nonspecific symptoms, which often delay its diagnosis. Mesenteric venous thrombosis is much less lethal than acute thromboembolism of the superior mesenteric artery and nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia. In this articles we presents an overview of acute mesenteric ischemia, based on the research. Although the mortality rates, in acute mesenteric ischemia, have remained high over the last few decades, accumulated knowledge on this condition is expected to improve its prognosis.     

Hepatic perfusion index (HPI) in mesenteric angina and following successful revascularization

This is a case report of a 45 year old man who had previously undergone a small bowel resection for acute mesenteric ischaemia. He subsequently suffered from mesenteric angina due to stenosis of the origin of the superior mesenteric artery and intermittent claudication due to aorto-iliac atheroma. The patient underwent a successful aorto-bifemoral Y graft and small bowel revascularization with a saphenous vein graft between the Y graft and the accessible proximal portion of the superior mesenteric artery. Before vascular reconstruction, the hepatic perfusion indices (HPI) in both the fasted and fed states were elevated; after mesenteric revascularization the HPI values were substantially lowered. The hepatic perfusion index may, by demonstrating functional abnormality, be useful in the diagnosis of mesenteric ischaemia and also in the assessment of treatment. Further evaluation of HPI in patients with suspected mesenteric ischaemia is therefore required.     

Acute intestinal ischemia—a rare and underestimated complication in thermally injured patients

Acute intestinal ischemia represents a rare but often fatal disease. In retrospective analysis, up to 86% with this complication had a prior history of cardiovascular disease (Irvinen et al. Ann Chir Gynaecol 83:22-25, 1994). It is also a rare but well-known complication in severe thermally injured patients. Here, we describe our experience with this disease in our critically ill patients suffering from acute thermal injury. In a retrospective analysis of 634 patients who were treated at our burn care center, three patients were identified with intestinal ischemia. Two patients with non-occlusive disease during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration died, while one patient with arterial embolism in a superior mesenteric artery branch survived. Acute intestinal ischemia is a severe and life-threatening complication in thermally injured patients. It can occur even days after the acute trauma and diagnostic criteria are often insecure.