Treatment options for acute mesenteric ischemia have improved.

ABSTRACT

Acute mesenteric ischemia resulting from mesenteric arterial thrombosis is a life-threatening cardiovascular complication with symptoms ranging from sudden-onset abdominal pain to vague symptoms of several days' duration. Although contrast-enhanced computed tomography is an excellent diagnostic tool, detection of the disease before the development of permanent intestinal injury is still difficult. Endovascular treatment is usually successful in restoring intestinal blood flow acutely. Chronic mesenteric ischemia requires urgent detection and therapy in order to prevent irreversible intestinal ischemia.