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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to identify active bleeding in digital subtraction angiography images for upper gastrointestinal bleeding., Methods: Angiographic images were retrospectively collected from mesenteric and celiac artery embolization procedures performed between 2018 and 2022. This dataset included images showing both active bleeding and non-bleeding phases from the same patients. The images were labeled as normal versus images that contain active bleeding. A convolutional neural network was trained and validated to automatically classify the images. Algorithm performance was tested in terms of area under the curve, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1 score, positive and negative predictive value., Results: The dataset included 587 pre-labeled images from 142 patients. Of these, 302 were labeled as normal angiogram and 285 as containing active bleeding. The model's performance on the validation cohort was area under the curve 85.0 ± 10.9% (standard deviation) and average classification accuracy 77.43 ± 4.9%. For Youden's index cutoff, sensitivity and specificity were 85.4 ± 9.4% and 81.2 ± 8.6%, respectively., Conclusion: In this study, we explored the application of AI in mesenteric and celiac artery angiography for detecting active bleeding. The results of this study show the potential of an AI-based algorithm to accurately classify images with active bleeding. Further studies using a larger dataset are needed to improve accuracy and allow segmentation of the bleeding., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Early diagnosis of mesenteric ischemia remains challenging because mesenteric ischemia presents with no key symptoms or physical findings, and no laboratory data specifically indicates intestinal tissue ischemic status before necrosis develops. While computed tomography is the standard for diagnostic imaging, there are several limitations: (1) repeated assessments are associated with increased radiation exposure and risk of renal damage; (2) the computed tomography findings can be misleading because necrosis occasionally occurs despite opacified mesenteric arteries; and (3) computed tomography is not necessarily available within the golden time of salvaging the intestines for those patients in the operating room or at a place far from the hospital. This article describes a challenge to overcome such limitations using ultrasonography and near-infrared light, including clinical studies. The former is capable of providing not only morphologic and kinetic information of the intestines but also perfusion of the mesenteric vessels in real-time without transferring the patient or exposing them to radiation. Transesophageal echocardiography enables precise assessment of mesenteric perfusion in the OR, ER, or ICU. Representative findings of mesenteric ischemia in seven aortic dissection cases are presented. Near-infrared imaging with indocyanine green helps visualize the perfusion of vessels and intestinal tissues although this application requires laparotomy. Findings in two cases (aortic aneurysm) are shown. Near-infrared spectroscopy demonstrates oxygen debt in the intestinal tissue as digital data and can be a candidate for early detection of mesenteric ischemia without laparotomy. The accuracy of these assessments has been confirmed by intraoperative inspections and postoperative course (prognosis).

Spontaneous isolated mesenteric arterial dissection (SIMAD) is an uncommon subset of non-traumatic dissection of the mesenteric arteries without concurrent aortic dissection. Due to the widespread use of computer tomography angiography, SIMAD cases have been increasingly reported in the past 20 years. Common risk factors associated with SIMAD include male gender, age 50-60 years, hypertension and smoking. This review summarises the diagnostic pathway and management of SIMAD based on contemporary literature and proposes a treatment algorithm for SIMAD. The presentation of SIMAD can be divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. Symptomatic patients should be carefully assessed to detect the development of complications, particularly bowel ischemia or vessel rupture. Although these complications are rare, they necessitate urgent surgical management. The vast majority of symptomatic SIMAD cases are uncomplicated and can be managed safely with conservative treatment that includes antihypertensive therapy, bowel rest, with or without antithrombotic therapy. For asymptomatic SIMAD cases, expectant management with outpatient surveillance imaging appears to be a safe strategy.

Objective: Case reports and small case series suggest that stenotic lesions of the renal, coeliac and mesenteric arteries may occur in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) resulting in clinical consequences such as hypertension and abdominal angina. The objective was to determine the prevalence of stenotic lesions in arteries arising from the middle aorta in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) compared with healthy, hypertensive and atherosclerotic controls., Methods: In a cross-sectional comparative radiological study using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), we assessed five groups of subjects for the prevalence of stenotic lesions in arteries arising from the middle aorta: APS/aPL positive, healthy renal donors, patients with hypertension, patients with atherosclerosis defined radiologically and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and vasculitis who were negative for aPL. All subjects underwent MRA in suspended respiration and images were assessed by two senior radiologists blinded to the clinical details., Results: In the atherosclerosis group, vascular stenotic lesions were more prevalent (71%) than in any other group (P ≤0.000002). The prevalence of all stenotic lesions in aPL positive patients (33%) was significantly higher than in the renal donors (18%) and hypertensive patients (19%) (P ≤0.009). Renal artery stenosis was significantly more prevalent in aPL positive patients than in renal donors (P ≤0.0006) but similar to the prevalence in hypertensive patients. Coeliac and/or mesenteric lesions were significantly more common in aPL positive patients vs hypertensive patients (P ≤0.001). Stenoses did not correlate with traditional risk factors., Conclusion: Arterial stenotic lesions in arteries arising from the middle aorta were highly prevalent in atherosclerotic subjects and were more common in aPL-positive patients than in hypertensive patients and healthy renal donors., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To report the intra-operative adverse events (IOAEs) and the initial and one year outcomes of retrograde open mesenteric stenting (ROMS) using balloon expandable covered stents for acute and chronic mesenteric ischaemia., Methods: Clinical data and outcomes of all consecutive patients treated with ROMS for acute and chronic mesenteric ischaemia at an intestinal stroke centre between November 2012 and September 2019 were reviewed. ROMS was performed using balloon expandable covered stents. Endpoints included IOAEs, in hospital mortality, post-operative complications, and re-interventions. One year overall survival, freedom from re-intervention, primary patency and assisted primary patency rates were analysed using the Kaplan-Meier time to event method., Results: During the study period, 379 patients were referred to the centre for acute or chronic mesenteric ischaemia. Thirty-seven patients who underwent the ROMS procedure were included. All the patients had severe atherosclerotic mesenteric lesions. The ROMS technical success rate was 89% in this cohort. The rate of IOAEs was 19% and included four cases of retrograde recanalisation failure. All ROMS failures occurred in patients presenting with flush superior mesenteric artery occlusion and they were treated by mesenteric bypass. Ten patients (27%) underwent bowel resection, four of which resulted in a short bowel syndrome (11%). The in hospital mortality rate was 27%. Post-operative complications and re-intervention rates were 67% (n = 25) and 32% (n = 12), respectively. The median follow up was 20.2 months (interquartile range 29). The estimated one year overall survival for the cohort was 70.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 52.5% - 82.2%). The estimated freedom from re-intervention at one year was 61.1% (95% CI 42.3 - 75.4). The one year primary patency and assisted primary patency rates were 84.54% (95% CI 63.34 - 94) and 92.4% (95% CI 72.8 - 98), respectively., Conclusion: ROMS procedures offer acceptable one year outcomes for mesenteric ischaemia but are associated with frequent stent related complications. Precise pre-operative planning, high quality imaging, and meticulous stent placement techniques may limit the occurrence of such events., (Copyright © 2021 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The mesenteric artery calcium score (MACS) identifies patients with possible chronic mesenteric ischaemia (CMI) using standard computed tomography (CT) imaging. The MACS does not necessitate a dedicated computed tomography angiography (CTA) which is required for evaluation of mesenteric artery patency. This study aimed to test the use of a symptom and MACS based score chart to facilitate the selection of patients with a low probability of CMI, in whom further diagnostic workup can be omitted, and to validate the CTA-based score chart proposed by van Dijk et al. which guides treatment decisions in patients with suspected CMI., Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive patients with suspected CMI. The Agatston definition was used to calculate the MACS. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to create a MACS score chart, which was applied in all patients to determine its discriminative ability. The score chart by van Dijk et al. was validated in this independent external patient series., Results: Hundred-ninety-two patients were included, of whom 49 had CMI. The MACS score chart composed of the variables weight loss, postprandial abdominal pain, history of cardiovascular disease, and MACS, showed an excellent discriminative ability (area under the curve [AUC] 0.87). CMI risks were 2.1% in the low-risk group (0-4 points) and 39.1% in the increased risk group (5-10 points); sensitivity (97.8%) and negative predictive value (NPV; 97.9%) were high. The CTA-based score chart by van Dijk et al. showed an excellent discriminative ability (AUC 0.89)., Conclusion: The MACS score chart shows promise for early risk stratification of patients with suspected CMI based on a near-perfect NPV. It is complementary to the CTA-based score chart by van Dijk et al., which showed excellent external validity and is well suited to guide subsequent (invasive) treatment decisions in patients with suspected CMI., (© 2021 The Authors. United European Gastroenterology Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of United European Gastroenterology.)

Awareness of the anatomical variations in abdominal surface anatomy with emphasis on relation to the abdominal planes may facilitate anatomical education and physical examination and inconvenience surgical intervention by giving surgeons more insight in surgical planning and training. This study was designed to verify whether the anatomical planes promote to the comprehension of surface anatomy and how the lumbar lordosis angle affects the vertebral level of the bifurcation of great vessels. This retrospective study was performed using computed tomography angiography images of 155 patients ranging from 18 up to 82 years. The vertebral levels of the celiac truncus, superior mesenteric artery, portal vein confluence, right and left renal arteries were within the transpyloric plane in 60%, 70%, 56.1% and 48.3-36.2% of patients, respectively. The inferior mesenteric artery was below the subcostal plane in 58% of patients. The aortic bifurcation (AB) was mostly corresponded to the level of L4 and was located within the umbilical plane in 73.1% of patients. The level of the inferior vena cava (IVC) confluence was within the supracristal plane in 54% of patients. We measured the mean value of the AB, IVC and lumbar lordosis angles as 39.54°, 58.05° and 54.26°, respectively. The AB and IVC levels showed a downward shift with decreasing lumbar lordosis angle. Precise knowledge of these relationships is crucial in clinical practice and surgical approaches to the anterior lumbosacral spine for safer and effective surgery.

Background: Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a type of unexplained nonatherosclerotic vascular disease that usually involves the renal and internal carotid arteries and rarely involves the mesenteric artery. Mesenteric artery FMD is difficult to distinguish from Crohn's disease (CD) and Behcet's disease (BD) solely based on symptoms. Patients with mesenteric artery FMD can present with an acute abdomen, but case reports of patients who have a long medical history and undergo multiple bowel resections are extremely rare., Case Presentation: The patient was a 45-year-old woman with an 11-year history of intermittent lower abdominal pain and fever. At the age of 34 years, she underwent right hemicolectomy and appendectomy due to an acute abdomen. She suffered from oral ulcers between 34 and 36 years old. A clinical diagnosis of presumed CD was made by the age of 41, and she was treated with mesalazine; however, the effect was poor. At the age of 42, she came to our centre, and based on her atypical symptoms and examination results, we thought she had CD. Hence, she was treated with glucocorticoids for 3 years. However, when she was 45, due to steroid dependence, thalidomide tablets were added. Unfortunately, she suffered from another episode of intestinal obstruction. Therefore, she underwent enterectomy. The postoperative histopathological diagnosis was mesenteric artery FMD. She no longer underwent pharmacotherapy after the surgery. Although she did not have any of her previous symptoms and postoperative colonoscopy showed no signs of recurrence, splenomegaly and abnormal routine blood results were still present., Conclusions: Patients with mesenteric artery FMD can present with an acute abdomen. In addition, the symptoms and endoscopic manifestations of mesenteric artery FMD may appear similar to CD and BD. Hence, it is difficult to make a clear clinical diagnosis and proceed with treatment. Mesenteric artery FMD often requires surgical pathology to confirm its diagnosis. For patients who suffer from this disorder, surgery may be the best choice to improve the patient's quality of life.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the mesenteric artery stenosis (MAS) in routinely performed CT angiography (CTA) of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) planned for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) before the procedure. Patients with AS (AS group) who routinely underwent CTA before the TAVI procedure due to severe AS and patients who had CTA for other indications (control group) were retrospectively and sequentially scanned. The demographic characteristics of the patients in both groups were similar. Calcification and stenosis in the mesenteric arteries were recorded according to the localization of celiac truncus, superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA). Class 0-3 classification was used for calcification score. Stenoses with a stenosis degree ≥50% were considered as significant. A total of 184 patients, 73 patients with severe AS and 111 control groups, were included in the study. SMA and IMA calcification scores of patients with AS were significantly higher than the control group (p=0.035 for SMA and p=0.020 for IMA). In addition, the rate of patients with significant MAS in at least 1 artery (45.2% vs 22.5%, p=0.001) and the rate of patients with significant stenosis in multiple arteries were also significantly higher in the AS group (8.2% vs 1.8%, p=0.037). According to the study results, patients with AS are at a higher risk for MAS. Chronic mesenteric ischemia should be kept in mind in patients with AS who have symptoms such as non-specific abdominal pain and weight loss., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© American Federation for Medical Research 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is an uncommon, potentially underdiagnosed clinical condition. Although there is a high prevalence of mesenteric artery stenoses (MAS), an abundant collateral network in the mesenteric circulation mitigates occurrence of ischemia. The most common etiology of CMI is atherosclerosis. CMI is a clinical diagnosis, based upon typical and atypical symptoms and consistent anatomic findings. Typical symptoms of CMI are postprandial abdominal pain, unintended weight loss and food avoidance. The main modalities to diagnose MAS are duplex ultrasound, CT angiography or MR angiography, although high resolution CTA is preferred. Endovascular therapy with balloon expandable stents has become the preferred treatment for MAS., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the computed tomography follow-up outcomes and radiographic findings of symptomatic isolated mesenteric artery dissection (IMAD) after conservative management., Methods: In this retrospective study, 130 consecutive patients with symptomatic IMAD from three institutions were enrolled from January 2011 to December 2019. The general epidemiological data, clinical manifestations, first-episode symptoms, imaging findings, and treatment strategy selection were analyzed from the medical records., Results: Among 130 patients diagnosed with symptomatic IMAD, positive remodeling of the SMA was achieved in 75.38% (98/130), and negative remodeling of the SMA was achieved in 24.62% (32/130). In the positive remodeling group, complete remodeling was achieved 39.23% (51/130) (type I 6 patients, type IIa 10 patients, type IIb 35 patients), in which type IIb was the most ( p  = 0.004). Moreover, of the 32 patients in whom negative remodeling of the SMA was achieved, significant differences were observed between the type IIa with respect to dissecting aneurysm formation ( p  = 0.04).Of the seven factors analyzed with a logistic regression model identified three factors significantly associated with negative remodeling: length of dissection (Waldχ 2 13.331; OR 6.945; 95% CI 2.762-10.498; p  = 0.014), true lumen residual diameter (TLRD) (Waldχ 2 9.626; OR 7.85; 95% CI 1.892-19.063; p  = 0.022), and branch involvement (Waldχ2 11.812; OR 7.247; 95% CI 1.245-14.830; p  = 0.011)., Conclusion: The prognosis of most symptomatic IMAD has a tendency to positive remodeling after conservative management, in which the initial type IIb classification is common. In contrast, risk factors for negative remodeling were type IIa, length of dissection, TLRD, and branch involvement. Patients with these morphological characteristics may not benefit from conservative management.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is a common complication of PD. Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is a rare complication of PD-related peritonitis, has a high mortality rate, and therefore should be detected early once it occurs. We describe a case of a 70-year-old woman on PD presented with moderate abdominal pain and low blood pressure, which contributed to the early diagnosis of PD-related peritonitis complicated with NOMI. Increased white cell count of 7150/μL (neutrophil, 84%) in dialysate effluent was diagnostic of PD-related peritonitis, which was later found to be caused by Pseudomonas putida. Computed tomography with contrast performed after administering crystalloids revealed hepatic portal venous gas, pneumatosis intestinalis in the ascending colon, and normal enhancement of the bowel wall and mesenteric arteries, which suggested a reperfusion of the previously ischemic ascending colon. Colonoscopy on hospital day seventeen revealed mucosal hemorrhage and ulcers in the entire right colon and the terminal ileum while the remaining colon was normal. These findings are compatible with the consequence of NOMI. Increased peak systolic velocity of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) implied its stenosis. Past studies show that ischemia of the colon in patients with chronic kidney disease commonly occurs in the right colon. Arteriosclerosis of the SMA due to the long history of chronic kidney disease and diabetes might have caused its vulnerability to low blood pressure. Abdominal complications including NOMI should be screened for when a patient presents with low blood pressure and strong abdominal pain. This is the first case report that shows colonoscopy images of the colonic ulcers post-NOMI and PD-related peritonitis.

Objectives: Mesenteric vascular disease carries a high risk of mortality and morbidity; however, due to obscure clinical presentation, it can be under-recognized. Currently, epidemiology of mesenteric vascular disease remains poorly defined. The aim of this study is to analyze changes in Scottish mortality rates from mesenteric vascular disease overtime., Methods: This is a retrospective, longitudinal population-based cohort study using data extracted from death certificates and Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. All deaths related to a vascular disorder of the intestines recorded as an underlying cause of death between 1979 and 2014 were identified using International Classification of Disease-9 or International Classification of Disease-10 code groups. Data included demographics and location of death. The residence postcodes were used to classify socio-economic status using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation., Results: From 2,142,921 deaths over 36 years, 14,530 (0.7%) were due to mesenteric vascular disease with a median (interquartile range) age of 77 and a 2:1 female to male gender ratio. The mean ± standard deviation age significantly increased from 72.6 ± 12.1 in 1979 to 76.8 ± 11.1 in 2014 ( p  < 0.001, R 2  = 0.772). Males were consistently younger than females at the time of death. The two lowest Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation categories accounted for half of the cohort, throughout the study period ( p  = 0.068). The adjusted death rate per 100,000 population increased from 7.6 in 1979 to 12.1 in 2014., Conclusions: The reported death rates of mesenteric vascular disease in Scotland between 1979 and 2014 have nearly doubled. Mesenteric vascular disease affects twice as many women as men and is associated with social deprivation. The increased reporting of mesenteric vascular disease is likely due to increased recognition and incidence. These implications should be considered when planning healthcare provision in Scotland.

Respiratory-gated four-dimensional phase-contrast vastly undersampled isotropic projection reconstruction (4D PC-VIPR) is magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique that enables analysis of vascular morphology and hemodynamics in a single examination using cardiac phase resolved 3D phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. The present study aimed to assess the usefulness of 4D PC-VIPR for the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) flowmetry before and after flow increase was induced by the herbal medicine Daikenchuto (TJ-100) by comparing it with Doppler ultrasound (DUS) as a current standard. Twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled in this prospective single-arm study. The peak cross-sectionally averaged velocity was measured by 4D PC-VIPR, peak velocity was measured by DUS, and flow volume (FV) of SMA and aorta were measured by 4D PC-VIPR and DUS 25 min before and after the peroral administration of TJ-100. The peak cross-sectionally averaged velocity, peak velocity, and FV of SMA measured by 4D PC-VIPR and DUS significantly increased after administration of TJ-100 (4D PC-VIPR: the peak cross-sectionally averaged velocity; p = 0.004, FV; p = 0.035, DUS: the peak velocity; p = 0.003, FV; p = 0.010). Furthermore, 4D PC-VIPR can analyze multiple blood vessels simultaneously. The ratio of the SMA FV to the aorta, before and after oral administration on the 4D PC-VIPR test also increased (p = 0.015). The rate of change assessed by 4D PC-VIPR and DUS were significantly correlated (the peak cross-sectionally averaged velocity and peak velocity: r = 0.650; p = 0.005, FV: r = 0.659; p = 0.004). Retrospective 4D PC-VIPR was a useful modality for morphological and hemodynamic analysis of SMA., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exist.

Background: Pressurized myography is useful for the assessment of small artery structures and function. However, this procedure requires technical expertise for sample preparation and effort to choose an appropriate sized artery. In this study, we developed an automatic artery/vein differentiation and a size measurement system utilizing machine learning algorithms., Methods and Results: We used 654 independent mouse mesenteric artery images for model training. The model yielded an Intersection-over-Union of 0.744 ± 0.031 and a Dice coefficient of 0.881 ± 0.016. The vessel size and lumen size calculated from the predicted vessel contours demonstrated a strong linear correlation with manually determined vessel sizes (R = 0.722 ± 0.048, p < 0.001 for vessel size and R = 0.908 ± 0.027, p < 0.001 for lumen size). Last, we assessed the relation between the vessel size before and after dissection using a pressurized myography system. We observed a strong positive correlation between the wall/lumen ratio before dissection and the lumen expansion ratio (R = 0.832, p < 0.01). Using multivariate binary logistic regression, 2 models estimating whether the vessel met the size criteria (lumen size of 160-240 μm) were generated with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.761 for the upper limit and 0.747 for the lower limit., Conclusion: The U-Net-based image analysis method could streamline the experimental approach., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: To assess the type and frequency of vascular changes in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) associated with the hypovolemic shock complex (HSC)., Methods: Twenty-six patients (14 males, 70.6 ± 11.2 years) meeting the criteria for hypovolemic shock complex in computed tomography were examined for the presence of angiographic signs of non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) in the SMA: the string of sausages sign and spasms of the arcades of mesenteric arteries on coronal maximum intensity projection images (MIP). Interrater agreement was assessed using weighted kappa (κ)., Results: Vascular changes of the SMA were visible in almost all of the patients with HSC with a frequency of 88.5 %-96.2 %. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated a substantial to almost perfect interrater agreement., Conclusions: Using computed tomography, it is possible to reliably and reproducibly detect vascular changes in SMA known from angiography in the context of hypoperfusion. The pathological vascular changes also occur more frequently than other classic signs of a CT hypoperfusion complex. Since the qualitative assessment of the SMA requires only a small amount of time, it is suitable as a further criterion for the presence of the CT hypoperfusion complex., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Gastrointestinal (GI) tract and mesenteric vascular lesions can have various clinical presentations, of which GI bleeding is the most common. This collection of pathology is highly variable in etiology ranging from occlusive disease to vascular malformations to trauma to neoplasms which makes for a challenging workup and diagnosis. The advent of multiple imaging modalities and endoscopic techniques makes the diagnosis of these lesions more achievable, and familiarity with their various imaging findings can have a significant impact on patient management. In this article, we review the gamut of GI tract and mesenteric vascular lesions and their associated imaging findings.

Background RNF213 is a major susceptibility gene for moyamoya disease (MMD), characterized by chronic progressive steno-occlusion of the intracranial arteries. However, coincidental extracranial arteriopathy is sporadically described in a few cases and in children with MMD. Methods and Results This study prospectively enrolled 63 young adults (aged 20-49 years) without a known history of systemic vascular diseases who were confirmed to have definite (bilateral, n=54) or probable (unilateral, n=9) MMD, as per typical angiographic findings. Coronary and aorta computed tomography angiography was performed to characterize extracranial arteriopathy and investigate its correlation with clinical characteristics and MMD status, including the RNF213 p.Arg4810Lys variation (c.14429G>A, rs112735431). Altogether, 11 of 63 patients (17%) had significant (>50%) stenosis in the coronary (n=6), superior mesenteric (n=2), celiac (n=2), renal (n=1), and/or internal iliac artery (n=1). One patient showed both mesenteric and iliac artery stenosis. Patients with extracranial arteriopathy were more likely to have diabetes mellitus and posterior cerebral artery involvement. Moreover, a higher prevalence of extracranial arteriopathy was observed in the presence of the RNF213 p.Arg4810Lys variant (67% in homozygotes). After controlling for diabetes mellitus and posterior cerebral artery involvement, the p.Arg4810Lys variant was independently associated with extracranial arteriopathy (additive model; P =0.035; adjusted odds ratio, 4.57; 95% CI, 1.11-27.20). Conclusions Young adults with MMD may have concomitant extracranial arteriopathy in various locations. Patients with RNF213 variants, especially the p.Arg4810Lys homozygous variant, should be screened for systemic arteriopathy.

Objective: Retrograde open mesenteric stenting (ROMS) is an alternative to traditional bypass in patients who present with acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). However, there is a paucity of data comparing outcomes of ROMS with other open surgical approaches. This study represents the largest single-institution experience with ROMS and aims to compare outcomes of ROMS with those of conventional mesenteric bypass., Methods: All patients who presented with AMI from 2008 to 2019 and who were treated with either ROMS or mesenteric bypass were included in the study. Patient, procedure, and outcome variables were compared. Bypass and ROMS patients were compared using univariate statistics., Results: A total of 34 patients who presented with AMI needing bypass were included in the study; 16 underwent mesenteric bypass, and 18 underwent ROMS. ROMS patients tended to be older than bypass patients and had higher rates of comorbidities. Bypass patients were more likely to have a history of chronic mesenteric symptoms (68.8% vs 27.8%; P = .019). Bypass procedures also took longer than ROMS procedures (302 vs 189 minutes; P < .01). The majority of ROMS procedures were not performed in a hybrid room (77.8%). Within 1 year, one stent thrombosed in a ROMS patient, requiring later mesenteric bypass. In the bypass group, one conduit thrombosed, ultimately resulting in perioperative death, and one bypass anastomosis stenosed, requiring angioplasty. Complication, unanticipated reintervention, and mortality rates were otherwise similar between groups., Conclusions: Complication, reintervention, and mortality rates after ROMS are similar to those of mesenteric bypass in the setting of AMI. Given similar postoperative outcomes and ability to perform these procedures in a conventional operating room but with significantly shorter operative times, ROMS should be considered a first-line option in acute situations when the operator is comfortable performing the procedure., (Copyright © 2020 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To compare the quality of virtual mono-energetic (VMI) and polychromatic images reconstructed with hybrid iterative (PCI HIR ) or model-based reconstruction (PCI MBR ) derived from dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography (SDCT) in arterial phase images to visualise the aorta and abdominal main branches., Material and Methods: A retrospective review of 50 patients with abdominal arterial phase scans was undertaken. Attenuation, intraluminal noise, and signal-/contrast-to-noise ratio (S-/CNR) were assessed in the PCI HIR , PCI MBR and VMI 40keV , VMI 70keV , and VMI 100keV images. Contrast, noise, and visualization of soft-plaque, and macro-/micro-calcifications were scored in a blinded reading by two radiologists., Results: VMI 40keV yielded highest S-/CNR (p≤0.001). VMI 70keV and PCI MBR showed comparable SNR (p≥0.999) and yielded higher SNR than PCI HIR . VMI 70keV yielded higher CNR than PCI HIR (p<0.001) and PCI MBR (p<0.045). VMI 100keV yielded lowest CNR (p≤0.001) and SNR (p≥0.104). In the subjective analysis, VMI 40keV outperformed PCI MBR for contrast and noise, PCI MBR scored better than VMI 70keV, and the latter scored better than PCI HIR for these categories (all p<0.001). PCI MBR was superior for depiction of soft-plaque and micro-calcifications (p<0.001). VMI 100keV visualized micro-calcifications second best (p<0.001) and matched PCI MBR for the depiction of macro-calcifications (p>0.999), while VMI 40keV scored second best for depiction of soft-plaque (p<0.020)., Conclusions: VMI 40keV and VMI 70keV yield better S-/CNR than PCI HIR and PCI MBR ; however, PCI MBR visualized arteriosclerotic plaques best, followed by VMI 40keV for depiction of soft-plaque and VMI 100keV for macro- and micro-calcification. Based on the present findings, PCI MBR on conventional CT and VMI 40keV supplemented by VMI 100keV on SDCT are recommended for the diagnostic assessment of abdominal arteries., (Copyright © 2020 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is an uncommon condition and commonly missed diagnostic aetiology of acute abdominal pain, initially described in 1976. SAM is a non-inflammatory, non-atherosclerotic vasculopathy mostly involving the abdominal arteries with notable asymmetric involvement of the walls of the mesenteric arteries and their branches. Clinical presentation ranges from postprandial abdominal discomfort suggestive of mesenteric ischaemia to intra-abdominal bleeding. Pathophysiological explanation and prognosis of these cases are not well understood and therefore no clear guidelines for management exist. In this case report, we emphasise the imaging modalities used to reach the diagnosis and the management options available., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Ultrasonographic visualisation of the mesenteric vasculature of the large colon (LC) from the right side of the abdomen in cases of displacement and volvulus has been described. However, the LC can move freely within the abdomen and its mesentery can potentially contact both sides of the abdominal wall., Methods: Thirty-four horses presented with LC-related colic that had visible LC mesenteric vasculature visible on abdominal ultrasound were included. A control group was made including horses with confirmed small intestinal-related colic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the visibility of LC mesenteric vasculature with transabdominal ultrasonography in horses with LC-related colic and to determine its diagnostic value., Results: The LC mesenteric vasculature was identified on the right side of the abdomen in 16/34 horses with right dorsal displacement of the LC (RDDLC), 180° LC volvulus (LCV), 540° LCV or LC impaction. On the left side of the abdomen, LC mesenteric vessels were identified in 17/34 horses with left dorsal displacement of the LC (LDDLC), 180° LCV or RDDLC. Vessels were visualised on both sides in one horse with a 180° LCV. Presence of LC mesenteric vasculature in the dorsal aspect on the left side of the abdomen was significantly associated with LDDLC., Conclusion: LC mesenteric vasculature can be visualised on transabdominal ultrasound from either side of the abdomen in horses with different forms of LC-related colic., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© British Veterinary Association 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Chronic mesenteric ischaemia is a severe and incapacitating disease, causing complaints of post-prandial pain, fear of eating and weight loss. Even though chronic mesenteric ischaemia may progress to acute mesenteric ischaemia, chronic mesenteric ischaemia remains an underappreciated and undertreated disease entity. Probable explanations are the lack of knowledge and awareness among physicians and the lack of a gold standard diagnostic test. The underappreciation of this disease results in diagnostic delays, underdiagnosis and undertreating of patients with chronic mesenteric ischaemia, potentially resulting in fatal acute mesenteric ischaemia. This guideline provides a comprehensive overview and repository of the current evidence and multidisciplinary expert agreement on pertinent issues regarding diagnosis and treatment, and provides guidance in the multidisciplinary field of chronic mesenteric ischaemia.

Objectives: To develop and replicate, using data-driven methods, a novel classification system in Takayasu's arteritis based on distribution of arterial lesions., Methods: Patients were included from four international cohorts at major academic centres: India (Christian Medical College Vellore); North America (National Institutes of Health, Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium and Cleveland Clinic Foundation). All patients underwent whole-body angiography of the aorta and branch vessels, with categorization of arterial damage (stenosis, occlusion or aneurysm) in 13 territories. K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify subgroups of patients based on pattern of angiographic involvement. Cluster groups were identified in the Indian cohort and independently replicated in the North American cohorts., Results: A total of 806 patients with Takayasu's arteritis from India (n = 581) and North America (n = 225) were included. Three distinct clusters defined by arterial damage were identified in the Indian cohort and replicated in each of the North American cohorts. Patients in cluster one had significantly more disease in the abdominal aorta, renal and mesenteric arteries (P < 0.01). Patients in cluster two had significantly more bilateral disease in the carotid and subclavian arteries (P < 0.01). Compared with clusters one and two, patients in cluster three had asymmetric disease with fewer involved territories (P < 0.01). Demographics, clinical symptoms and clinical outcomes differed by cluster., Conclusion: This large study in Takayasu's arteritis identified and replicated three novel subsets of patients based on patterns of arterial damage. Angiographic-based disease classification requires validation by demonstrating potential aetiological or prognostic implications., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology 2019. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.)

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is the most common cause of secondary hypertension and may cause progressive renal disease and cardiac destabilization syndromes. Guideline-directed medical therapy is advised in all patients. Patients with refractory symptoms and hemodynamically significant stenoses are more likely to benefit from renal artery stent placement. Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is an infrequent and difficult to diagnose illness. Due to robust collateralization, clinical symptoms from mesenteric artery stenosis or occlusion is uncommon. Atherosclerosis is the most common etiology of CMI. Current evidence suggests that, compared with open surgical repair, endovascular therapy is the most cost-effective choice for CMI., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have no financial disclosures., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: An optimal treatment regimen is sought for symptomatic isolated mesenteric artery dissection (IMAD) on the basis of its clinical staging., Methods: From January 2011 to December 2018, 120 patients with symptomatic IMAD from two institutions were collected retrospectively. We reviewed the clinical features, risk factors, computed tomography (CT) images, treatment modalities, and follow-up results to propose a new management strategy based on the clinical stages of the disease., Results: A total of 120 patients were collected in this study; 77 patients (69 men, 8 women; median age, 52.53 years; range, 39-73 years) who had undergone successful conservative management with antithrombotic agents were included in group A. The remaining 43 patients (34 men, 9 women; median age, 52.63 years; range, 26-66 years) who underwent invasive therapy were included in group B. Significant differences were observed between the two groups with respect to dissection length (50.72 ± 27.72 mm vs. 62 ± 24.3 mm; P = 0.02), true lumen residual diameter (3.31 ± 1.05 mm vs. 2.83 ± 2.05 mm; P = 0.01), and branch involvement (8 and 19, respectively; P < 0.001). Success was achieved in 76.24% (77/101) of patients treated by conservative management with antithrombotic agents in the acute stage; 43 patients underwent invasive interventional therapy in different stages of symptomatic IMAD. In group A, 6 patients had recurrent abdominal pain, three of whom underwent invasive intervention, and the remaining patients improved after conservative treatment. Positive remodeling was observed in 80.33% (49/61) of patients treated with conservative management alone versus 19.67% (12/61) of patients who experienced negative remodeling. Endovascular intervention in group B, CT angiography, or mesenteric angiography yielded complete remodeling in 23 (76.67%, 23/30) patients and evidence of stent restenosis in 7 (23.33%, 7/30) patients. Among the surgical patients, 7 patients showed improvement in the luminal diameter. However, 3 patients with short bowel syndrome require long-term parenteral nutrition., Conclusions: Conservative management with antithrombotic agents should be a first-line regimen for symptomatic IMAD in the acute stage. If symptoms persist, endovascular intervention is a safe and feasible treatment in the subacute or chronic stage. When peritonitis is present, surgical treatment should be promptly performed, regardless of the disease stage., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Laparoscopic aortomesenteric bypass may be performed to treat the chronic mesenteric ischemia patients who are not suitable for endovascular treatment. This study presents an initial experience with a limited series of laparoscopic mesenteric artery revascularization for the treatment of mesenteric ischemia., Methods: Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) patients with previous unsuccessful endovascular treatment or with arterial occlusion and extensive calcification precluding safe endovascular treatment were offered laparoscopic mesenteric revascularization. From October 2015 until November 2018, nine patients with CMI underwent laparoscopic revascularization. In addition to demographic data and perioperative results of the treatment, graft patency was assessed with Duplex ultrasound at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, and annually thereafter. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed., Results: All bypasses were constructed with an 8 mm ring enforced expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft in a retrograde fashion (from infrarenal aorta or iliac artery) to either superior mesenteric artery or splenic artery (2 cases). Median operation time was 356 mins (range 247-492 mins). Five patients had a history of unsuccessful endovascular treatment. Laparoscopic technical success was 78%, and the primary open conversion rate was 22%. All laparoscopic revascularization procedures remained patent after discharge during a median follow-up time of 26 months (range 18-49 months). The primary graft patency at 30 days was 78%. Primary assisted, and secondary graft patency was 78% and 100%, respectively. Median weight gain was 2 kg (range 2-18 kg), and all patients achieved relief from postprandial pain and nausea. No mortality was observed during the follow-up period., Conclusion: Laparoscopic aortomesenteric revascularization procedures for chronic mesenteric ischemia are feasible but require careful patient selection. These procedures should only be performed at referral centers by vascular surgeons with prior experience in laparoscopic vascular surgery., Competing Interests: The authors have nothing to disclose., (© 2020 Kazmi et al.)

We report a successful treatment of extent III thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm complicated with stenoocclusive visceral and iliac arteries in a 27-year-old woman with Takayasu arteritis. Distal first technique and a bypass to the left femoral artery was performed to maintain the pelvic circulation for spinal cord protection as the patient had right external iliac artery occlusion and left common iliac artery occlusion. In addition, we performed endarterectomy of the visceral branch orifices during the extent III thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair. The patient recovered without spinal cord injury and serum creatinine improved from 1.22 to 0.53 mg/dL., (Copyright © 2020 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Case presentationA 57-year-old man was in a healthy state until 6 hours before presenting to the emergency department, when he suffered from more than 10 episodes of vomiting after a large meal at lunchtime. On physical examination, vital signs were unremarkable. Tenderness was noted over the epigastrium on palpation. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the abdomen is shown in figure 1 and online supplementary video 1.DC1SP110.1136/emermed-2019-208863.supp1Supplementary video emermed;37/1/41/F1F1F1Figure 1Transverse (A) and longitudinal (B) ultrasonography of the epigastrium. QUESTION: What is the most likely diagnosis?Hypertrophic pylorus stenosisAortic dissectionSuperior mesentery artery (SMA) syndromeVolvulus For answer see page 2 ., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: To assess feasibility and safety of transradial access (TRA) compared with transfemoral access (TFA) and transbrachial access (TBA) for mesenteric arterial endovascular procedures., Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed including all consecutive patients who underwent a mesenteric arterial procedure in a tertiary referral center between May 2012 and February 2018. Exclusion criteria were absence of data and lost to follow-up within 24 hours after the procedure. During the study period, 103 patients underwent 148 mesenteric arterial procedures (TBA, n = 52; TFA, n = 39; TRA, n = 57). Mean patient age was 64.3 years ± 13.3, and 91 patients (62%) were women. Primary outcomes were vascular access specified technical success rate and access site complication rate, as reported in hospital records., Results: Technical success rate specified for the vascular access technique did not differ between the 3 approaches (TBA 96%, TFA 87%, TRA 91%; TRA vs TBA, P = .295; TBA vs TFA, P = .112; TRA vs TFA, P = .524), and overall access site complication rate was not different between the 3 approaches (TBA 42%, TFA 23%, TRA 35%; TRA vs TBA, P = .439; TBA vs TFA, P = .055; TRA vs TFA, P = .208). However, more major access site complications were reported for TBA than for TRA or TFA (TBA 17%, TFA 3%, TRA 2%; TRA vs TBA, P = .005; TBA vs TFA, P = .026; TRA vs TFA, P = .785)., Conclusions: TRA is a safe and feasible approach for mesenteric arterial procedures comparable to TFA, but with a significantly lower major access site complication rate than TBA., (Copyright © 2019 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Here, we validate the use of a novel fluorescent norepinephrine transporter (NET) substrate for dynamic measurements of transporter function in rodent cardiovascular tissue; this technique avoids the use of radiotracers and provides single-terminal resolution. Rodent (Wistar rats and C57BL/6 mice) hearts and mesenteric arteries (MA) were isolated, loaded with NET substrate Neurotransmitter Transporter Uptake Assay (NTUA) ex vivo and imaged with confocal microscopy. NTUA labelled noradrenergic nerve terminals in all four chambers of the heart and on the surface of MA. In all tissues, a temperature-dependent, stable linear increase in intra-terminal fluorescence upon NTUA exposure was observed; this was abolished by NET inhibitor desipramine (1 μM) and reversed by indirectly-acting sympathomimetic amine tyramine (10 μM). NET reuptake rates were similar across the mouse cardiac chambers. In both species, cardiac NET activity was significantly greater than in MA (by 62 ± 29% (mouse) and 21 ± 16% (rat)). We also show that mouse NET reuptake rate was twice as fast as that in the rat (for example, in the heart, by 94 ± 30%). Finally, NET reuptake rate in the mouse heart was attenuated with muscarinic agonist carbachol (10 μM) thus demonstrating the potential for parasympathetic regulation of norepinephrine clearance. Our data provide the first demonstration of monitoring intra-terminal NET function in rodent cardiovascular tissue. This straightforward method allows dynamic measurements of transporter rate in response to varying physiological conditions and drug treatments; this offers the potential to study new mechanisms of sympathetic dysfunction associated with cardiovascular disease., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mortality rates in acute mesenteric ischemia remain at an extremely high level for many decades. Early diagnosis and selection of the optimal method of revascularization are among the ways to optimize tactics. The diagnostic study of choice is CT angiography. Its active and systemic use can help to detect ischemia at the reversible stage. The article examines in detail the indications for the application of this diagnostic study. The question of preference for the revascularization method remains debatable. The arguments of proponents of open and endovascular interventions on mesenteric vessels are presented. Other, still unresolved tactical issues are also considered, such as indications for re-operations and application of the principles of damage control tactics.

Purpose: To study the arterial distribution of embosphere microsphere (EM) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles in rabbit mesenteric artery using in vivo microscopy.To study the arterial distribution of embosphere microsphere (EM) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles in rabbit mesenteric artery using in vivo microscopy., Methods: Sixteen New Zealand rabbits were divided into four groups, namely large PVA (560-710 μm), small PVA (150-350 μm), large EM (500-700 μm), and small EM (100-300 μm). The mesenteric arteries of the experimental animals were embolized under fluoroscopic guidance and visualized using in vivo microscopy. The embolized vessel diameter and arterial distribution of embolic agents were compared., Results: The diameters of occluded vessels in large PVA, small PVA, large EM, and small EM groups were 430.60 ± 67.30, 200.95 ± 70.54, 387.79 ± 92.51, and 143.81 ± 39.65 μm, respectively. PVA occluded significantly larger vessels than EM when the particle size was similar (P < 0.001). The proportion of EM at the bifurcation of the artery was significantly higher than that of PVA particles (large PVA < large EM, χ 2 = 4.325, P < 0.038; small PVA < small EM, χ 2 = 6.68, P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Both PVA and EM could occlude vessels smaller than the particle size, and EM resulted in deeper penetration. The location of embolic particles in the artery is mainly related to the shape of particles., Competing Interests: None

Purpose: To retrospectively investigate factors associated with mesenteric artery remodeling after conservative management of isolated mesenteric artery dissection (IMAD) (dissection of the mesenteric arteries in the absence of aortic dissection or other known causes)., Materials and Methods: A total of 107 patients diagnosed with IMAD between February 2010 and October 2018 were identified. Eighteen patients were excluded because they underwent stent placement (n = 11) or were lost to follow-up (n = 7). A total of 89 patients who underwent conservative management were therefore included in the study. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with mesenteric artery remodeling., Results: During 15.9 ± 10.9 months of follow-up, complete remodeling of the mesenteric artery was achieved in 66 patients (74.2%), and partial remodeling was achieved in 23 patients (25.8%). Of the 66 patients with complete remodeling, 6 (9.1%) had type IIa IMAD (visible false lumen, no visible re-entry site), and 60 (90.9%) had type IIb IMAD (thrombosed false lumen). The mean interval between IMAD diagnosis and complete remodeling was 14.4 ± 5.4 months for all patients. The mean intervals for patients with type IIa IMAD were 20.0 ± 6.2 months and 13.9 ± 5.1 months for patients with type IIb IMAD (P = .015). Mesenteric artery remodeling was significantly associated with the presence of symptoms (odds ratio, 10.800; 95% confidence interval, 1.961-59.470; P = .006)., Conclusions: Complete remodeling of the mesenteric artery in patients with IMAD treated with conservative management is common, and the presence of symptoms is associated with complete remodeling., (Copyright © 2019 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of colour duplex ultrasound (CDU) plus contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) vs. computed tomography angiography (CTA) for surveillance in patients with isolated mesenteric artery dissection (IMAD)., Methods: Patients who underwent CDU, CEUS, and CTA for surveillance of IMAD between January 2012 and May 2019 were included in the study. The accuracy of CDU, CEUS, and CTA for determining the morphological characteristics of IMAD was analysed., Results: A total of 42 patients undergoing 76 total imaging examinations during follow up were included. Both CTA and CDU plus CEUS demonstrated the thrombosed false lumen for 28 (36.8%) examinations and the dissecting aneurysm for 20 (26.3%) examinations (both κ = 1.0). The diameter of the dissecting aneurysm was 5.03 ± 1.25 mm using CDU and CEUS vs. 5.27 ± 1.23 mm on CTA (coefficient of consistency, 0.997; p < .001). The entry points were visualised by CDU and CEUS for 20 (26.3%) examinations and by CTA for 14 (18.4%) examinations (κ = 0.769); no re-entry points were visualised by CDU and CEUS for any examinations but re-entry points were visualised by CTA for two (2.6%) examinations. The minimum inner diameter was 2.80 ± 1.30 mm on CDU and CEUS vs. 2.52 ± 1.29 mm on CTA (coefficient of consistency, 0.999; p < .001). The peak systolic velocities were 128.2 ± 13.0 cm/s at diagnosis and 98.7 ± 4.9 cm/s after one month (p < .001)., Conclusions: The combination of CDU and CEUS can be used in place of CTA for the surveillance of IMAD., (Copyright © 2019 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)