Clinical Characteristics of Mesenteric Infarction

Bang, Jeong Seob; Ryu, Byoung Yoon; Cho, Ji Woong; Kim, Byung Chun; Lee, Hae Wan; Kim, Hong Ki; Suk, Hong

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mesenteric infarction is a significant cause of death in elderly patients, and is being reported with increasing frequency. The diagnosis seldom is made prior to the onset of gangrene, despite an increased awareness of the lethality of mesenteric ischemia. The outcome for patients with mesenteric ischemia depends on the age of the patient, the extent and the severity of the ischemia and the effectiveness of the collateral blood supply.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 23 patient with mesenteric infarction who had been treated at the Department of Surgery, Hallym University, Chunchon Sacred Heart Hospital, between September 1988 and August 1977. RESULTS: The mean age was 52.3 years and the ratio of males to females was 1:1.6. The most frequent underlying diseases were hypertension, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and myocardial infarction. The radiologic study of a simple plain abdomen revealed a paralytic ileus in 87% of the cases; a partial vascular occlusion was shown under angiogram. The mean time lapse from onset of symptom to operation was 38.3 hours. Eight (34.8%) patients died when renal failure, ARDS or peritonitis developed.
CONCLUSIONS
The cause of the persistently high mortality in patients with mesenteric in farction and to define a more effective form of management based on our results and recent clinical or laboratory findings. This study was concluded that early detection of the mesenteric infarction was reduced postoperative complications.