EMBOLECTOMY IN MESENTERIC ISCHEMIA

Objects. A retrospective study on patients operated on for intestinal ischemia. Patients and Methods: We have carried out a retrospective st udy on 21 patients suffering from intestinal embolism, in whom an embo lectomy was performed at the origin of the superior mesenteric artery. The diagnosis was based on angiography in 12 patients before operatio n. In the other nine patients the diagnosis was confirmed during opera tion. Results. After embolectomy the viability of the gut was achieved in 43% of patients (100% if the duration of the symptomathology was l ess than 12 hours, 56% if it was between 12 and 24 hours, and 18% if i t was more than 24). The mortality correlated with the duration of the symptoms. Overall mortality was 57%. Conclusions. The only way to imp rove the survival rate is to obtain an early diagnosis, which could be achieved by performing a mesenteric angiography on all patients with sudden and vague abdominal pain and with a history of cardiovascular d isease.