The Efficacy of Intraoperative Angiography for Acute Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) Embolisms: Two Case Reports and a Review of the Literature

Abstract

An acute superior mesenteric artery (SMA) embolism is often correlated with a poor prognosis, or can cause deterioration in the patient’s quality of life in cases of short bowel syndrome. To avoid a wide resection of the bowel, it is essential to confirm the range of bowel ischemia with intraoperative angiography. In the present study, two patients with embolic occlusion of the SMA were treated with an intraoperative embolectomy via the middle colic artery using a Fogarty catheter. After confirming the patency of the SMA, intra-arterial thrombolysis was postoperatively conducted with urokinase. We report herein on the efficacy of intensive perioperative treatment in patients who have been successfully rehabilitated into society.