title: Acute mesenteric ischaemia, a highly lethal disease with a devastating outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute mesenteric ischaemia remains a serious condition requiring emergency, surgical management. The mortality rate still remains high, due to the unspecific and delayed diagnosis and ranges from 59% to 100%. Purpose of our study is to present our experience in the management of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study of 61 patients treated surgically for acute mesenteric ischaemia, between 1988 and 2004. All patients underwent a laparotomy. 75% of the patients were operated within the first 24 hours and the rest within 48 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Superior mesenteric artery embolism occurred in 36 (59%), thrombosis in 21 (34%) and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis in 4 (7%) cases. In 49 (80%) cases, embolectomy or thrombectomy of the superior mesenteric artery with resection of the necrotic segment of the bowel was performed. Twelve cases (20%) were considered inoperable because of massive bowel necrosis. According to our study mortality and morbidity rate amounts to 75% and 80% respectively. No significant difference in the mortality rate between patients with embolism (75%) and thrombosis (76%) was found. However a significant increase of mortality rate was observed when the surgical intervention became afterwards the first 24-hour period. (72% versus 87%). Patients who underwent embolectomy or thrombectomy with bowel resection presented an improved survival rate compared with patients that underwent only bowel resection. (p = 0.019)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute mesenteric ischaemia has the characteristics of a highly lethal condition and only early recognition and appropriate treatment can reduce the potential for a devastating outcome. The reduction of time interval from the beginning of symptoms up to the treatment remains the main critical important factor.
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Athens University Medical School, Laiko Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Safioleas
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Moulakakis
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kontzoglou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kostakis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D017128:Embolectomy; D004617:Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008641:Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D017131:Thrombectomy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*