Abstract
We report herein on successful POBA (plain old balloon angioplasty) in a patient with an ischemic ileum caused by the dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). A 73-year-old man complained of abdominal pain and bloody bowel discharge. CT revealed a flap in the SMA, no blood flow in the distal side of the SMA and an ischemic ileum. On emergency angiography, the SMA distal blood flow and ileum blood flow were almost not visible because of high pressure from the false lumen, so we decided to perform a POBA in the true lumen. The POBA enabled the true lumen to be opened and maintain blood flow, and blood flow to the ileum became measurable. On the next day, the blood flow was maintained in both the true and false lumens and the jejunal wall had good contrast on CT. Sometimes, SMA dissections make a long section of small intestine ischemic and we have to perform a resection because of the potentially life-threatening situation. POBA may avoid such a miserable outcome in cases of SMA dissection with an ischemic intestine.
