title: Acute occlusion of the abdominal aorta.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute aortic occlusion most commonly results from aortic saddle embolus or thrombosis of an atherosclerotic abdominal aorta. The purpose of this study was to review the experience at a university hospital to better define the diagnosis and management of this uncommon process.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review was performed from patients admitted to Emory University Hospital with acute occlusion of the abdominal aorta from 1985 through 1997.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three patients were identified. In group EMB (n = 16), occlusion was due to saddle embolus. In group IST (n = 17), occlusion was attributed to in situ thrombosis of a severely diseased aorta. Operative procedures performed included transfemoral embolectomy (15), aorto-bifemoral bypass (9), axillobifemoral bypass (5), fasciotomy (3), and thrombolysis (1). The in-hospital mortality rate was 21% (31% EMB, 12% IST), and morbidity was significant and included mesenteric ischemia (6%), bleeding complications (9%), subsequent amputation (12%), renal failure (15%), recurrent embolization or thrombosis (21%), and cardiac complications (42%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute aortic occlusion has tremendous morbidity and mortality even with optimal surgical care.
authors.affiliation: Joseph B. Whitehead Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Surowiec
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Isiklar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sreeram
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lumsden
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D017128:Embolectomy; D004617:Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors