2019 Volume 39 Issue 4 Pages 715-718
Early diagnosis and treatment of superior mesenteric artery occlusive disease offer a good prognosis. However, patients with early-stage acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion, which can lead to death if treatment is delayed, sometimes visit a physician complaining only of mild abdominal pain, making early diagnosis difficult. A 70-year-old man visited a previous physician complaining of bloody stools and abdominal pain and was acutely diagnosed as having mesenteric artery occlusion and suspected small intestinal necrosis. He was later transferred to our hospital. Because he was diagnosed within 24 hours of onset and a computed tomography image did not reveal intestinal necrosis, a thrombus was removed with interventional radiology techniques. Subsequently, we began thrombolytic therapy with continuously administered urokinase. We performed superior mesenteric artery angiography daily and confirmed no thrombus by the 3rd day. Oral ingestion started on hospital day 5. He was discharged on hospital day 17 and is currently receiving outpatient anticoagulant therapy. Early diagnosis and an interventional radiology procedure rescued this patient. We successfully treated a patient with superior mesenteric artery occlusion with an early diagnosis followed by interventional radiology without surgery. Early diagnosis and interventional radiological treatment are important for patients with acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion.
