OBJECTIVE

Arterial acute mesenteric ischemia (AAMI) is a vascular and gastroenterologic emergency, most often surgical, still associated with a poor prognosis and frequent short bowel syndrome in survivors. We report the results of revascularization in AAMI patients after the creation of an intestinal stroke center.

METHODS

Since July 2009, we developed a multimodal and multidisciplinary management for AMI, focusing on intestinal viability and involving gastroenterologists, vascular and abdominal surgeons, radiologists, and intensive care specialists. This management was the first step to the creation of an intestinal stroke center, based on the stroke unit model. All patients received: (1) a specific medical protocol; (2) endovascular and/or open surgical revascularization whenever possible; and/or (3) resection of non-viable small bowel. We aimed to study survival, morbidity, type of revascularization, and bowel resection in patients who benefited from arterial revascularization in our intestinal stroke center.

RESULTS

Eighty-three patients with AMI were prospectively enrolled in the intestinal stroke center. Among them, 29 patients with AAMI underwent revascularization. The mean age was 50.2 ± 12 years, with 41% of male gender. The mean follow-up was 22.7 ± 19 months. Overall 2-year survival was 89.2%, and 30-day operative mortality was 6.9%. Surgical revascularization included bypass grafting (65%), endarterectomy with patch angioplasty (21%) ± retrograde open mesenteric stenting of the superior mesenteric artery (7%), and endovascular revascularization as first stage procedure (38%). The 2-year primary patency rate of open revascularization was 88%. The rate and the median length of bowel resected were 24% and 43 cm (range, 36-49 cm), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In our experience, revascularization of AAMI patients as part of a multidisciplinary and multimodal management leads to encouraging results. Vascular surgeons have a central role in a dedicated intestinal stroke center.