A Case Report of Superior Mesenteric Artery Occlusion

Abstract

A case is reported of survival following acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion in which endarterectomy led to recovery of gut of doubtful viability and enabled a useful and significant portion of the gut to be retained.

Acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion with gangrene of the gut has shown a high mortality and few cases have been reported of a successful outcome following surgery. The interest in this case is that following surgery the patient survived and the portion of gut retained was of sufficient propor tions to maintain the patient in a satisfactory state of nutrition.