[Reimplantation of the inferior mesenteric artery during surgery of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Current trends].

After a review of world literature and on the basis of personal experience, the problem of ischaemic colitis following abdominal aortic aneurysmectomy is examined. After remarks on the aetiopathogenesis and clinical picture of the condition the paper stresses the need for early detection of patients at high risk, to prevent a clinical picture that is insidious but serious and tends to develop rapidly. The use of preoperative angiography to study the SMA and IMA as well as intraoperative stump-pressure measurement is considered essential. The paper concludes that ischaemic colitis following abdominal aortic reconstruction can be avoided in a large percentage of cases by IMA implantation on the Dacron prosthesis, a surgical technique that is easy and not time-consuming.