Acute Mesenteric Ischaemia

Acute Mesenteric Ischemia (AMI) results from a sudden loss of arterial supply due to an episode of thromboembolism in the celiac trunk, the superior or inferior mesenteric artery, or its minor branches. IMA is an infrequent disease designating only 0.1% of hospital admissions, but with a mortality rate of 30 to 65%. In general, the most affected people are elderly and with a history of cardiovascular comorbidities. Diagnosis occurs late, in most cases, due to a nonspecific clinical presentation and inconclusive tests. Therapy must be performed by a healthcare team in intensive care units (ICU) and depends on the extent of ischemia. The available approaches include endovascular surgery and exploratory laparotomy, the latter being the most indicated in IMA to assess the extent of necrosis in the loops.