Rapid revascularization of an embolic superior mesenteric artery occlusion using pulse-spray pharmacomechanical thrombolysis with urokinase

Is there a faster and easier method for assessing the severity of acute mesenteric ischemia?

Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a potentially fatal abdominal emergency. The estimation of the severity of AMI is of great importance since changes in disease severity may have different impacts on the treatment options. This study aims to define laboratory and radiological parameters that can successfully predict the severity of AMI. Data from 100 patients who were treated conservatively and underwent an operation with a diagnosis of AMI between the years 2010 and 2019 were reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups as those treated with a conservative approach (group 1), those with partial intestinal ischemia (group 2), and those with complete intestinal ischemia (group 3) according to the pathology results. Laboratory findings of the patients were recorded and matched with radiological findings. The white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil (NEUT) count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein/albumin ratios were the considered distinctive parameters for distinguishing the third group from the first group. However, the same result cannot be applied to the first and the second groups since only the WBC and NEUT counts showed distinctive performance. The measurement of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, WBC, NEUT, and albumin levels can be used to predict the severity of AMI. We believe that evaluating these laboratory parameters will greatly prevent possible morbidity and mortality in the patient. Also, we were able to observe that the parameters used in predicting AMI severity can be verified with rapid and low-cost radiological imaging techniques.

Use of Multimodal Interventional Radiology with an Intracerebral Artery Stent Retriever for Acute Superior Mesenteric Artery Thrombosis: A Case Report

Acute superior mesenteric artery thrombosis is usually fatal; however, early intravascular treatment using a mechanical thrombectomy device can be an effective intervention. A 70-year-old man with atrial fibrillation presented with sudden abdominal pain; superior mesenteric artery thrombosis was confirmed using contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Thrombolysis, mechanical fragmentation, aspiration, and thrombectomy were successfully performed using the Trevo® XP ProVue stent retriever via a brachial approach, and intestinal necrosis was avoided. Thus, intravascular treatment of superior mesenteric artery thrombosis can be performed using a relatively low-profile catheter and a brachial artery approach, allowing the implementation of a multimodal interventional radiological approach tailored for individual cases.

Treatment outcome in patients with acute superior mesenteric artery embolism

PURPOSE

The goals of this study were to investigate the treatment outcomes of acute mesenteric ischemia caused by superior mesenteric artery (SMA) embolism and identify the posttreatment prognostic factors.

METHODS

The clinical data of 32 episodes of acute SMA embolism in 30 patients, including 2 recurrent cases, between April 2003 and March 2011 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

Median patient age was 74 years (range, 39-89 years), and 50% were male. Conservative treatment, including bowel rest, nasogastric drainage, intravenous fluid therapy, parenteral nutritional support, and anticoagulation therapy, was undertaken in 5 patients with no clinical evidence of bowel gangrene, including 1 with recurrent ischemia. No deaths occurred among patients treated conservatively. A total of 27 patients were treated with open surgical repair (25 embolectomies and 2 bowel resections alone). Among 25 patients treated with embolectomy, 14 required bowel resection. Most bowel resections (94%, 15/16) were limited, with the remaining length of small bowel greater than 150 cm, which could not cause short bowel syndrome. In-hospital mortality of surgery was 30%. No variables were associated with mortality after surgical intervention, including, age, gender, presence of bowel gangrene, and symptom duration. The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates after initial successful treatment were 96%, 73%, and 44%, respectively, regardless of treatment type.

CONCLUSIONS

Prompt diagnosis and treatment before extensive irreversible gangrene is the mainstay in the treatment of SMA embolism. Limited bowel gangrene was not associated with mortality.

Successful aspiration and thrombolytic therapy for acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion

To report a case of acute superior mesenteric artery (SMA) embolism successfully treated with aspiration and pharmacological thrombolysis. A 74-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with acute abdominal pain 5 hours in duration. Computed tomography angiography revealed a complete embolic occlusion distal to the first jejunal branch of the SMA. Aspiration and local continuous thrombolysis with urokinase resulted in near complete revascularization of the mesenteric flow after 4 hours and almost complete restoration after 20 hours. The patient made a complete recovery and continues to do well on warfarin therapy after treatment. Aspiration and thrombolytic therapy can be an alternative treatment modality in surgical high risk patient.

Acute superior mesenteric artery embolism: reperfusion with AngioJet hydrodynamic suction thrombectomy and pharmacologic thrombolysis with the EKOS catheter

Acute mesenteric ischemia is commonly treated by surgical exploration and open thrombectomy. Very few reports describe using newer, minimally invasive methods which utilize catheter-based mechanical and pharmacological thrombolysis. Herein, we report a case of acute superior mesenteric embolism successfully treated with AngioJet hydrodynamic mechanical thrombectomy and EKOS catheter pharmacological thrombolysis. A 76-year-old man with new onset atrial fibrillation presented with abdominal pain of 48 hours duration. Subsequent contrast computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed a filling defect in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), suggestive of an acute embolus, which was confirmed by SMA angiogram. The AngioJet aspiration device was used for hydrodynamic suction thrombectomy. The repeat angiogram demonstrated only a partial restoration of blood flow, and thus the EKOS tissue plasminogen activator catheter was left in the SMA for continuous thrombolysis. The patient underwent continuous thrombolysis for two days, with two subsequent sessions of angiography. Thereafter, the patient improved symptomatically and serum lactate was normalized. In conclusion, the AngioJet suction thrombectomy and pharmaco-mechanical thrombolysis using the EKOS catheter is associated with minimal morbidity and can be rapidly performed. It may be used as an alternative to open surgical thrombectomy in selected cases of acute SMA embolism.

Acute mesenteric ischemia: endovascular therapy

Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is an abdominal emergency with a high mortality. Prompt revascularization can prevent intestinal infarction and reduce mortality. We report three cases of acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia without signs of intestinal necrosis, which were successfully managed with endovascular interventions. Mechanical thrombus fragmentation was performed and underlying chronic stenoses were treated with stent implantation. All the patients had pain relief immediately after the procedure, and none of them required surgery for bowel resection. The patients remained symptom free during a follow-up of 12-16 months. We suggest that endovascular treatment is a feasible option in patients with AMI and can prevent intestinal infarction.

Thrombolytic therapy for acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion

The aim of this review is to evaluate thrombolytic therapy for acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion as an alternative or adjunctive treatment modality to surgical therapy and to provide current knowledge for timely and informed decisions regarding treatment of acute mesenteric ischemia. A systematic analysis of the available literature from 1966 to 2003 regarding thrombolytic therapy for superior mesenteric artery thromboembolism was performed. A total of 20 case reports and seven small series covered 48 patients with acute superior mesenteric artery thromboembolism. In the herein reviewed series, thrombolytic therapy of acute superior mesenteric artery thromboembolism resulted in angiographic resolution of the thromboembolism in 43 patients, in clinical success without requiring additional surgical intervention in 30 patients, and in survival in 43 patients, with similar complication rates as in thrombolytic treatment of peripheral vascular occlusions. Remission of abdominal pain during the first few hours of treatment formed the most important indicator of therapeutic success. Insufficient evidence from reviewed literature is available to determine the relative effectiveness and safety of thrombolytic treatment for acute superior mesenteric artery thromboembolism; however, initial results appear to be promising. Thrombolytic therapy can be effective relatively quickly, may obviate surgery, and has the potential to resolve the clot completely. In some cases it can be used as an alternative or neo-adjunctive treatment modality to surgery. A treatment guideline for thrombolysis of acute superior mesenteric artery thromboembolism should be developed.

Acute superior mesenteric artery embolism: rapid reperfusion with hydrodynamic thrombectomy and pharmacological thrombolysis

PURPOSE

To report a case of acute superior mesenteric artery (SMA) embolism successfully treated with hydrodynamic thrombectomy and pharmacological thrombolysis.

CASE REPORT

A 67-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with acute severe abdominal pain. Selective angiography via a femoral puncture revealed a complete embolic occlusion distal to the first jejunal branch of the SMA. Hydrodynamic thrombectomy resolved the severe abdominal pain of the patient in approximately 10 minutes after the start of thrombectomy. Local continuous thrombolysis with urokinase resulted in near complete restoration of the mesenteric flow after 24 hours. The patient made an uneventful recovery and continues to do well on warfarin therapy 8 months after treatment; he has shown no evidence of malabsorption.

CONCLUSIONS

Although insertion of the device into the SMA via a femoral puncture is a difficult approach, we propose that hydrodynamic thrombectomy followed by local thrombolysis is a useful treatment for acute superior mesenteric artery embolism.

Intestinal ischemia

Ischemic injury to the gastrointestinal tract can threaten bowel viability with potential catastrophic consequences, including intestinal necrosis and gangrene. The presenting symptoms and signs are relatively nonspecific and diagnosis requires a high index of clinical suspicion. AMI often results from an embolus or thrombus within the SMA, although a low-flow state through an area of profound atherosclerosis may also induce severe ischemia. Because most laboratory and radiologic studies are nonspecific in early ischemia an aggressive approach to diagnosis with imaging of the splanchnic vasculature by mesenteric angiography is advocated. Various therapeutic approaches, including the infusion of vasodilators and thrombolytics, may then be used. Proper diagnosis and management of patients with AMI requires vigilance and a readiness to pursue an aggressive course of action.

Mesenteric vascular occlusion resulting in intestinal necrosis in children

PURPOSE

The records of 4 patients who had necrotic bowel secondary to acute mesenteric vascular occlusion affecting various levels of mesenteric vasculature were reviewed to determine the clinical manifestations, diagnostic investigations, predisposing factors, complications, and outcome of mesenteric vascular thrombosis in children.

METHODS

The medical records of the patients (3 boys, 1 girl) treated between 1981 and 1996, inclusive, for bowel infarction secondary to mesenteric vascular thrombosis, were reviewed with regard to signs and symptoms, laboratory tests, radiological investigations, surgical findings, histopathologic examinations, and outcome.

RESULTS

The ages of the patients ranged between 1 and 14 years with a mean age of 8.2 years. Initial symptoms, present in all patients, were abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and tenderness. Laboratory and radiological findings including abdominal radiographs and abdominal ultrasonography were nondiagnostic. Selective superior mesenteric angiography showed complete obliteration of the superior mesenteric artery with absence of venous return in 1 case. Three patients with massive intestinal necrosis died of multiorgan failure or the complications of short bowel syndrome. Histological examination of the resected intestinal segments showed the typical findings of polyarteritis nodosa in 2 patients. One patient had a previous history of right femoral vein thrombosis, whereas 1 patient had no known underlying disorders predisposing vascular thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Mesenteric vascular occlusion is a rare but serious disease leading to death in children. The patients present with similar clinical signs, most frequent and important are acute abdominal pain, vomiting, and distension. Mesenteric vascular occlusion is a rare cause of acute abdomen in childhood, which requires urgent diagnosis and intervention. In suspected mesenteric vascular insufficiency, angiography should be performed followed by intraarterial thrombolytic infusion therapy in selected cases. When intestinal infarction is suspected, immediate surgical resection of compromised bowel is necessary with appropriate postoperative anticoagulation or treatment of any underlying disease.

AGA technical review on intestinal ischemia. American Gastrointestinal Association

This literature review and the recommendations therein were prepared for the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice and Practice Economics Committee. The paper was approved by the committee on September 25, 1999, and by the AGA Governing Board on November 25, 1999.

Endovascular treatment of multiple visceral artery paradoxical emboli with mechanical and pharmacological thrombolysis

PURPOSE

To report a case of paradoxical emboli to multiple visceral vessels treated with both mechanical (AngioJet device) and pharmacological (urokinase) thrombolysis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 72-year-old man presented with a 48-hour history of symptomatic right renal ischemia, which was treated with heparinization. Five days later, an abrupt creatinine elevation prompted arteriography, which demonstrated thromboembolism of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and both renal arteries. The AngioJet aspiration device was employed to successfully remove the clot from the SMA; urokinase infusion restored flow to the left kidney. At the 16-month follow-up evaluation, the patient was normotensive without medication and had a stable creatinine (1.4 mg/dL).

CONCLUSIONS

Because of its speed and minimal morbidity, the AngioJet device may be an attractive alternative to surgical embolectomy or pharmacological thrombolysis in highly selected cases of acute visceral artery thromboembolism.

Intestinal (mesenteric) vasculopathy. I. Acute superior mesenteric arteriopathy and venopathy

Intestinal vasculopathy is not rare, comprising about 1 per 1000 hospital admissions. Primary mesenteric vasculopathy causes cardiovascular disease, whereas secondary mesenteric ischemia causes extrinsic vascular compression or vascular trauma. Acute superior mesenteric arteriopathy is caused by a mesenteric embolus, thrombus, or vasospasm (i.e., nonocclusive vasculopathy). Acute superior mesenteric venopathy is caused by a thrombus, which is often associated with a hypercoagulopathy. The clinical presentation of both diseases is often subtle and nonspecific at an early stage and becomes overt and specific only when advanced and severe, when ischemia progresses to necrosis. The mortality of acute superior mesenteric arteriopathy is still very high, whereas superior mesenteric venopathy is less rapidly progressive and has a lower, but still significant, mortality. Early diagnosis and aggressive therapy significantly reduces the mortality of these life-threatening diseases.

Intestinal (mesenteric) vasculopathy. II. Ischemic colitis and chronic mesenteric ischemia

Ischemic colitis accounts for approximately half of all cases of mesenteric vasculopathy. The clinical presentation varies depending on underlying cause, extent of vascular obstruction, rapidity of ischemic insult, degree of collateral circulation, and presence of comorbidity. Ischemic colitis is usually diagnosed by colonoscopy. Only approximately 20% of patients require surgery because of signs or laboratory findings of peritonitis or because of clinical deterioration. Approximately 20% of patients develop chronic colitis from irreversible colonic ischemic injury, which manifests clinically as persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, or weight loss and endoscopically as a colonic stricture or mass. Chronic mesenteric ischemia is almost always caused by significant atherosclerotic stenosis involving at least two mesenteric arteries, usually the superior mesenteric artery and celiac axis. The classic symptomatic triad of postprandial pain, fear of eating, and involuntary weight loss occurs with advanced disease.