[Surgical treatment of acute intestinal ischemia. Successful treatment with embolectomy of the superior mesenteric artery]. / Kirurgisk behandling av akutt tarmiskemi. Vellykket behandling med embolektomi av a. mesenterica superior.

ABSTRACT

We describe a patient with acute intestinal ischemia successfully treated with embolectomy of the superior mesenteric artery. Over the last four years, 11 patients with the same disease were treated with bowel resection at Nordland Regional Hospital. The mortality rate after bowel resection was 45%. Long duration of symptoms, and high frequency of associated cardiovascular disease was characteristic. In elderly patients with acute abdominal pain and cardiovascular disease, a diagnosis of acute mesenterial ischemia should be seriously considered. In patients with acute mesenteric ischemia and no bowel necrosis, embolectomy must be considered in preference to bowel resection.