[Endovascular therapy as an alternative treatment in chronic mesenteric ischemia].
BACKGROUND
Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is an uncommon disorder. Traditional treatment consists of open surgical (OS) revascularization. We report a case of CMI treated with percutaneous angioplasty and stenting.


METHODS
A 77-year-old-woman reported a history of postprandial abdominal pain, weight loss, asthenia, and anorexia. On physical examination, the only relevant sign was systolic murmur. Oral panendoscopy showed chronic atrophic gastritis and patchy intestinal metaplasia with Helicobacter pylori colonization; rectal sigmoidoscopy showed colonic diverticula. Abdominal ultrasound color-flow imaging confirmed superior mesenteric artery (SMA) stenosis > 70%. Angiography confirmed proximal SMA subocclusion and celiac trunk stenosis of 50%. Percutaneous angioplasty and stenting were carried out. The patient made an immediate recovery and remains without postprandial pain.


CONCLUSIONS
CMI due to atherosclerotic occlusive disease was first reported in 1936 and is a relatively uncommon disorder. This entity usually occurs in patients over 60 years of age with other atherosclerotic symptoms. CMI presents with postprandial abdominal pain, anorexia due to <<fear of food>>, and weight loss. Despite high perioperative morbidity and mortality rates, OS revascularization has traditionally been the treatment of choice. The most frequent indications include pain relief, improvement of nutritional status, and prevention of intestinal infarction. Endovascular therapy seems to be a valid alternative, mainly in high-risk patients, with good immediate and medium-term results.
Servicio de Angiología y Cirugía Vascular, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España. emaman_@hotmail.com
E
E
Marín Manzano
J
J
Haurie Girelli
D
D
González de Olano
J
J
Sánchez Del Corral
S
S
Redondo López
G
G
Núñez de Arenas Baeza
M
M
Rubio Montaña
M V
MV
García-Prieto Bayarri
A
A
Utrilla López
A
A
Chinchilla Molina
E
E
Aracil Sanus
P
P
Gallo González
C
C
Bernal Bernal
J
J
Ocaña Guaita
C
C
Gandarias Zúñiga
C
C
Cuesta Gimeno
D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery*; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior; D008641:Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents