Treatment of Acute Mesenteric Ischemia: Individual Challenges for Interventional Radiologists and Abdominal Surgeons

Background: Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a life-threatening condition resulting from occlusion of the mesenteric arterial vessels. AMI requires immediate treatment with revascularization of the occluded vessels. Purpose: to evaluate the technical success, clinical outcomes and survival of patients receiving endovascular treatment for AMI followed by surgery. Material and Methods: A search of our institution’s database for AMI revealed 149 potential patients between 08/2016 and 08/2021, of which 91 were excluded due to incomplete clinical data, insufficient imaging or missing follow-up laparoscopy. The final cohort included 58 consecutive patients [(median age 73.5 years [range: 43–96 years], 55% female), median BMI 26.2 kg/m2 (range:16.0–39.2 kg/m2)]. Periinterventional imaging regarding the cause of AMI (acute-embolic or acute-on-chronic) was evaluated by two radiologists in consensus. The extent of AMI and the degree of technical success was graded according to a modified TICI (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale) score (TICI-AMI) classification (0: no perfusion; 1: minimal; 2a < 50% filling; 2b > 50%; 2c: near complete or slow; 3: complete). Lab data and clinical data were collected, including the results of follow-up laparoscopy. Non-parametric statistics were used. Results: All interventions were considered technically successful. The most common causes of AMI were emboli (51.7%) and acute-on-chronic thrombotic occlusions (37.9%). Initial imaging showed a TICI-AMI score of 0, 1 or 2a in 87.9% (n = 51) of patients. Post-therapeutic TICI-AMI scores improved significantly with 87.9% of patients grade 2b and better. Median lactate levels reduced from 2.7 (IQR 2.0–3.7) mg/dL (1–18) to 1.45 (IQR 0.99–1.90). Intestinal ischemia was documented in 79.1% of cases with resection of the infarcted intestinal loops. In total, 22/58 (37.9%) patients died during the first 30 days after intervention and surgery. According to CIRSE criteria, we did not observe any SAE scores of grade 2 or higher. Conclusions: AMI is a serious disease with high lethality within the first 30 days despite optimal treatment. However, interventional revascularization before surgery with resection of the infarcted bowel can save two out of three of critically ill patients.