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The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) supply and drain blood from the distal colon and rectum, respectively. Routinely imaged at cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen and pelvis, these vessels play a vital role in gastrointestinal tract health but may be neglected due to their diminutive caliber relative to other mesenteric vessels and potential lack of inclusion in routine search patterns. The authors describe and illustrate normal and abnormal appearances of the IMA and IMV and findings that are diagnostic of primary vascular abnormalities or can offer diagnostic clues. After the embryologic features, normal anatomy, and anatomic variants of the IMA and IMV are reviewed, various manifestations of IMA and IMV abnormalities, such as aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm, stenosis, occlusion, dissection, hemorrhage, arteriovenous malformations and fistulas, tumoral invasion, vasculitis, and perivascular lymphatic dilatation, are explored with use of case examples. The role of the IMA and IMV as collateral vasculature, including the clinical scenarios of superior mesenteric arterial occlusion, aortic endoleak, and portosystemic venous shunt, are discussed. Finally, diagnostic clues that the inferior mesenteric vessels and adjacent soft tissues can provide, including mesenteric venous gas, compression or displacement from bowel volvulus or internal hernias, lymphadenopathy, and venous flow artifacts, are highlighted. The authors provide a comprehensive reference for radiologists who evaluate the IMA and IMV on cross-sectional images and shine a spotlight on these neglected but important vessels. © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article.

Background: One of the approaches to distal sigmoid colon cancer surgical treatment is segmental colonic resection with vascular preservation of left colic artery (LCA). D3 lymph node dissection may technically vary according to different vascular anatomy. This study aims to show the approaches to D3 lymph node dissection with LCA preservation for distal sigmoid colon cancer according to different patterns of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) branching., Methods: CT angiography with 3D reconstruction was routinely performed to identify the IMA branching pattern. Laparoscopic distal sigmoid colon resection with D3 lymph node dissection and left colic artery preservation in standardized fashion was performed in all cases. Data, including clinical, intraoperative, and short-term surgical outcomes, is presented as median numbers (Me) and interquartile range (IQR)., Results: Twenty-six patients with distal sigmoid colon cancer were treated with laparoscopic distal sigmoid colon resection. The approach to D3 lymph node dissection varied according to different anatomical variations. There was one conversion (3.8%) and one anastomotic leakage (3.8%) in patients with high BMI. At the same time, there was a high apical lymph node count (Me 3 (IQR 2-5), min-max 0-10) due to the skeletonization of the IMA., Conclusions: The technical aspects of D3 lymph node dissection with left colic artery preservation may vary in different types of LCA and sigmoid artery branching patterns regardless of the standardized anatomical landmarks. The anatomical features should be considered when performing vascular-sparing lymph node dissection., (© 2024. Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Objective: The abdominal aorta is a continuation of the thoracic aorta and gives off the coeliac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, and inferior mesenteric artery. The focus of our study is to evaluate variations in the origin level in the coeliac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery, and aortic bifurcation in the Indian population and compare with various demographics., Methods: The study was retrospective and the local ethics committee approval was taken before starting it. Three hundred patients who were more than 18 years of age and required contrast-enhanced CT studies were included in this. The vertebral origin level of the arteries from the abdominal aorta and aortic bifurcation level was analysed., Results: The most common origin level of the coeliac trunk for both males and females was T12-L1 disc level. The most common origin level of the superior mesenteric artery was L1 upper level. The most common origin level of the inferior mesenteric artery was L3 upper level. The most common level of aortic bifurcation was L4 middle level. There was no statistical difference between the origin of any arteries in males and females in the Indian population., Conclusion: As per our study of the Indian population and the published literature, it is realized that there are significant variations in the origins of the coeliac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery, and abdominal aorta bifurcation in different populations., Advances in Knowledge: This study elaborates on potential anatomical variations in the Indian population, particularly the Mumbai city population. Also, our study compares it to different countries' data and their results in variations found in abdominal aorta branches., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: Type II endoleak (T2EL) is the most common type of endoleak after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and a common indication for reintervention due to late sac enlargement. Although pre-emptive embolization of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) has been proposed to prevent this, no studies have prospectively demonstrated its efficacy. This study aimed to prove the validity of IMA embolization during EVAR in selective cases by analyzing the mid-term outcomes of a randomized clinical trial (RCT)., Methods: This single-center, parallel-group, non-blinded RCT included participants at high risk of T2EL, characterized by a patent IMA in conjunction with one or more following risk factors: a patent IMA ≥3 mm in diameter, lumbar arteries ≥2 mm in diameter, or an aortoiliac-type aneurysm. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups in a 1:1 ratio: one undergoing EVAR with IMA embolization and the other without. The primary endpoint was T2EL occurrence. The secondary endpoints included aneurysm sac changes and reintervention. In addition to RCT participants, outcomes of patients with low risk of T2EL were also analyzed., Results: The embolization and non-embolization groups each contained 53 patients. Five-year follow-up after the last patient enrollment revealed that T2ELs occurred in 28.3% and 54.7% of patients in the IMA embolization and non-embolization groups, respectively (P = .006). Both freedom from T2EL-related sac enlargement ≥5 mm and cumulative incidence of sac shrinkage ≥5 mm were significantly higher in the IMA embolization group than in the non-embolization group (95.5% vs 73.6% at 5 years; P = .021; 54.2% vs 33.6% at 5 years; P = .039, respectively). The freedom from T2EL-related sac enlargement ≥10 mm, an alternative indicator for T2EL-related reintervention, showed similar results (100% vs 90.4% at 5 years; P = .019). Outcomes in the low-risk group were preferable than those in the non-embolization group and comparable to those in the IMA embolization group., Conclusions: A lower threshold for pre-emptive IMA embolization when implementing EVAR would be more appropriate if limited to patients at high risk of T2ELs., Competing Interests: Disclosures None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The association between the occlusion rate of the side branch arteries branching from the abdominal aortic aneurysm sac and aneurysm sac shrinkage is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of preemptive embolization of multiple side branch arteries branching from the abdominal aortic aneurysm sac in early aneurysm sac shrinkage after endovascular aneurysm repair., Methods: Patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms, with or without preemptive embolization of multiple side branch arteries, including the inferior mesenteric artery and lumbar arteries, between January 2016 and August 2021, were retrospectively evaluated. Preemptive embolization was introduced at our institution in January 2018 and has been performed in all patients who undergo endovascular aneurysm repair since then. We compared occlusion rates of the side branch arteries, frequency of type 2 endoleaks, changes in aneurysm sac size, percentage of aneurysm sac size decrease, and frequency of reduction in the aneurysm sac diameter by > 5 mm., Results: The study included 43 patients in the embolization group and 20 in the nonembolization group. Preemptive embolization was successfully performed without any ischemic complications. The total occlusion rate of side branch arteries was significantly higher in the embolization group than in the nonembolization group (70.2% vs. 29.3%, P < 0.05). At 24 months of follow-up, the type 2 endoleak frequency was significantly lower in the embolization group than in the nonembolization group (6.9% vs. 31.6%, P < 0.05). The frequency of reduction in the aneurysm sac diameter by > 5 mm was significantly higher in the embolization group than in the nonembolization group at 24 months (62.1% vs. 31.6% P < 0.05). The optimal cutoff value for the total occlusion rate of the side branch arteries to achieve reduction in the aneurysm sac diameter by > 5 mm at 24 months, after endovascular aneurysm repair, was 66.7% in all patients (area under the curve = 0.634; sensitivity = 62.5%; specificity = 70.8%). These findings suggest that occluding 66.7% or more of the side branch arteries may result in early aneurysmal shrinkage., Conclusions: Preemptive embolization of multiple side branch arteries, branching from the abdominal aortic aneurysm sac, may contribute to early aneurysm sac shrinkage; this may serve as a marker for fewer late complications after endovascular aneurysm repair., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We present a rare case of short-segment jejunal infarction following inferior mesenteric artery embolisation for type 2 endoleak in a patient who previously underwent endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Potential causes for the event might include thromboembolism or traumatic thrombosis of a jejunal branch of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) caused by a buddy guide wire used to maintain the position of the long vascular sheath in the SMA hiatus. The condition was recognised on CT and treated with resection of the infarcted segment of the small bowel followed by primary anastomosis., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: The impact of preoperative patent inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) on late outcomes following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the specific influence of IMA patency on 7-year outcomes after EVAR., Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 556 EVARs performed for true abdominal aortic aneurysm cases between January 2006 and December 2019 at our institution were reviewed. Endovascular aneurysm repairs performed using a commercially available device with no type I or type III endoleak (EL) during follow-up and with follow-up ≥12 months were included. A total of 336 patients were enrolled in this study. The cohort was divided into the patent IMA group and the occluded IMA group according to preoperative IMA status. The late outcomes, including aneurysm sac enlargement, reintervention, and mortality rates, were compared between both groups using propensity-score-matched data., Results: After propensity score matching, 86 patients were included in each group. The median follow-up period was 56 months (interquartile range: 32-94 months). The incidence of type II EL at discharge was 50% in the patent IMA group and 19% in the occluded IMA group (p<0.001). The type II EL from IMA and lumbar arteries was significantly higher in the patent IMA group than in the occluded IMA group (p<0.001 and p=0.002). The rate of freedom from aneurysm sac enlargement with type II EL was significantly higher in the occluded IMA group than in the patent IMA group (94% vs 69% at 7 years; p<0.001). The rate of freedom from reintervention was significantly higher in the occluded IMA group than in the patent IMA group (90% vs 74% at 7 years; p=0.007). Abdominal aortic aneurysm-related death and all-cause mortality did not significantly differ between groups (p=0.32 and p=0.34)., Conclusions: Inferior mesenteric artery patency could affect late reintervention and aneurysm sac enlargement but did not have a significant impact on mortality. Preoperative assessment and embolization of IMA might be an important factor for improvement in late EVAR outcomes., Clinical Impact: The preoperative patency of the inferior mesenteric artery was significantly associated with a higher incidence of sac enlargement and reintervention with type II endoleak following endovascular aneurysm repair, even after adjustment for patient background. Preoperative assessment and embolization of inferior mesenteric artery might be an important factor for improvement in late EVAR outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: High ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery, defined as ligation before the takeoff of the left colic artery, is often described as the gold standard in low left-sided colon and rectal cancer surgery. The aim of this study is to quantify the rate of ligation at the described level at a single academic center. Additionally, we examined the relationship between level of ligation and cancer-related outcomes., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients ages 18 and over with low left-sided colon, rectal, and anal cancers undergoing surgical resection. Radiographic evidence of high ligation was defined as ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery before the takeoff of the left colic artery. Patients with and without radiographic evidence of high ligation on CT were compared. Secondary outcomes include lymph node yield and positivity, need for adjuvant therapy, and time from surgery to adjuvant therapy., Results: 169 patients (54% male) were included in the study. 61.5% of operative reports described high ligation of the IMA. There was radiographic evidence of high ligation in 55.6% of total patients and in 70.2% of patients where high ligation was intended. There was no significant difference in surgeon experience, surgical procedure, or surgical approach. There was no difference in lymph node yield, time to adjuvant chemotherapy, or recurrence rates., Conclusion: This study demonstrates good technical success rate of high ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery but shows no difference in short-term patient-measured outcomes between high and low ligation (or successful and unsuccessful high ligation)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

To assess the anatomy of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and its branches by reviewing laparoscopic left-sided colorectal cancer surgery videos and comparing them with preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) angiography, to verify the accuracy of 3D-CT vascular reconstruction techniques. High-definition surgical videos and preoperative imaging data of 200 patients who underwent laparoscopic left-sided colorectal cancer surgery were analysed, and the alignment of the IMA and its branches in relation to the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) was observed and summarized. The above two methods were used to measure the length of the IMA and its branches. Of 200 patients, 47.0% had the sigmoid arteries (SAs) arise from the common trunk with the superior rectal artery (SRA), and 30.5% had the SAs arise from the common trunk with the left colic artery (LCA). In 3.5% of patients, the SAs arising from both the LCA and SRA. The LCA, SA, and SRA emanated from the same point in 13.5% of patients, and the LCA was absent in 5.5% of patients. The range of D cm (IMA length measured by intraoperative silk thread) and d cm (IMA length measured by 3D-CT vascular reconstruction) in all cases was 1.84-6.62 cm and 1.85-6.52 cm, respectively, and there was a significant difference between them. (p < 0.001). The lengths between the intersection of the LCA and IMV measured intraoperatively were 0.64-4.29 cm, 0.87-4.35 cm, 1.32-4.28 cm and 1.65-3.69 cm in types 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.994). There was only a significant difference in the length of the IMA between the 3D-CT vascular reconstruction and intraoperative observation data, which can provide guidance to surgeons in preoperative preparation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Type II endoleak (EL-2) is the most common complication following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), leading to continued sac growth and potential rupture. In this study, we examined the association between patency of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and lumbar arteries (LAs) with respect to sac growth. The effect of preemptive embolization of the IMA and/or LAs on the need for secondary interventions for sac growth post-EVAR was also evaluated., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on consecutive patients who underwent EVAR for non-ruptured, infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) from January 2012 to December 2020. A select group of patients underwent preemptive embolization of the IMA and/or LA. Patients with any types I, III, or IV endoleaks were excluded. Patency of the IMA and LA on preoperative computed tomography angiogram (CTA) was evaluated on TeraRecon workstation. All secondary interventions to treat EL-2 were recorded. Sac growth was defined as centerline axial diameter increase of ≥5 mm on follow-up CTA., Results: A total of 300 patients (mean age, 74 ± 8.5 years; 83.7% male) underwent EVAR. Ninety-nine patients had preemptive embolization of the IMA and/or LA. Mean follow-up of the cohort was 59.3 ± 30.5 months. Thirty-six patients (12%) demonstrated sac growth on follow-up; 12 of these (33.3%) had preemptive embolization. The median time until detection of sac growth was 28.8 months (interquartile range, 15.2-46.5 months), with a mean growth of 10.1 ± 6.4 mm. Sac growth was significantly associated with presence of EL-2: 27 of 36 (75%) with EL-2 vs 9 of 36 (25%) without EL-2 (P < .001). Patients with sac growth had a higher mean total number (2.6 ± 1.5) of patent lower LAs (L3, L4) compared with those without (2.0 ± 1.4; P = .03). Patency of L1, L2, and L3 LAs were not associated with sac growth. However, patency of at least one L4 LA was significantly associated with sac growth (14.8% vs 7.7%; P = .04). The highest incidence of sac growth (17.6%) was seen when both IMA and L4 LA were patent; significantly different from the lowest incidence (5.3%) when both were occluded preoperatively (P = .018). Preemptive coiling of the IMA and/or LA significantly reduced the need for post-EVAR secondary intervention for sac growth. Freedom from post-EVAR secondary intervention was achieved in 92 of 99 (92.9%) pre-EVAR coiled patients vs 163 of 201 (81.5%) patients who did not undergo pre-EVAR coiling (P = .009)., Conclusions: Preemptive coil embolization of the IMA and LAs, especially L4 LA, reduces the need for secondary interventions for sac growth, potentially improving the long-term durability of EVAR., Competing Interests: Disclosures D.K.C. is a consultant for Terumo Medical Corporation in peripheral embolization., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Direct connection between the celiac trunk (CT) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is very rare, knowledge of this anomaly is of great importance to surgeons and anatomists., Introduction: Splanchnic arteries arise from the abdominal aorta (AA). Unusual development of these arteries can lead to considerable variations. Historically there were a lot of classification of the variation in the CT and IMA, none of the classifications describes a direct connection from IMA to CT., Materials and Methods: We report a rare case in which the connection between the CT and AA was lost and replaced by a direct anastomosis with IMA., Results: 60 year old male presented to the hospital to undergo a computed tomography scan. Which showed that there was no CT arising from the AA, but there was a large anastomosis arises from the IMA and ended with a short axis and Left gastric artery (LGA), Splenic artery (SA), Common hepatic artery (CHA) arise from this axis, these arteries continued to the stomach and spleen and liver normally. The anastomosis provides the total supply to the CT. The CT branches are normal., Conclusion: Knowledge of the arterial anomalies provides an important help in clinical surgical implications especially in organs transplant., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: We aimed to investigate manual subtraction computed tomography angiography (MS-CTA) to further confirm the distribution and classification of LCA (left colic artery) ascending/descending branches, then observe the postoperative blood flow path to illustrate how the above branches evolved to postoperative blood path., Material and Methods: 89 patients with distal sigmoid and rectal cancer were referred in our observation and underwent MS-CTA between June 2020 and March 2022. We classified the distribution of LCA and confirmed whether there exists AMCA (accessory middle colic artery). Then we planned blood flow path based on the classification of LCA branches before operation. High ligation was applied in regular radical surgery. During operation, we carefully protect the bifurcation of ascending and descending LCA. Then we compared the planned blood flow path with the actual postoperative blood flow path to verify the mechanism we proposed previously., Results: Of 89 patients, 82 cases met our criteria, we summarized 6 distribution pattens of LCA ascending and descending branches. These preoperative pattens are consistent with the inspection during operation. The postoperative blood flow path of 6 pattens is evolved from the above adjacent anastomotic branches and is consistent with the planned blood flow path. We also found 2 cases with IMA stenosis and 1 case with SMA stenosis under pathological condition, and their compensatory blood flow path is in accordance with our theory. The rate of the anastomotic leakage in our study group is relatively low (7.3%)., Conclusion: MS-CTA could confirm the distribution of LCA and AMCA, display accurate postoperative blood reconstruction path after IMA high ligation, and it further verified the mechanism we proposed previously, which is the proximal anastomotic branches forming new blood flow path from high-pressure area to the low-pressure area. This mechanism might be helpful for performing accurate laparoscopic sigmoid and rectal cancer surgery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels that connects the arteries and the veins. Because normal capillary bed is partially or completely absented in the AVM, the blood passes quickly from the arteries to the veins, which disrupts normal blood flow and oxygen supply to the surrounding tissues. This is called "steal phenomenon," and in the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) territory, this may lead to abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, portal hypertension, and even ischemic colitis., Patient Concerns: A 67-year-old man presented to our emergency department because of left side abdominal pain., Diagnoses: The abdominal computed tomography with contrast enhancement revealed a cluster of abnormal vascular lesions abutting the IMA with early opacification of the left colonic marginal vein. In addition, poor enhancement of segmental colonic wall was found from proximal descending colon to middle rectum. The diagnosis of AVM of the IMA and ischemic colitis was made., Interventions: The patient underwent left hemicolectomy as well as the AVM resection., Outcomes: He was discharged uneventfully after the surgery without complications., Lessons: IMA AVM carries the risk of ischemic colitis. computed tomography scan is helpful not only to the diagnosis of AVMs but also to exclude other lesions as well. Treatment options include endovascular embolization, surgical intervention, and a combination of both. Due to the complexity of this disease, treatment requires a case-specific multidisciplinary approach and a coordination of medical, radiological, and surgical staffs., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Objective: A type II endoleak is the most common complication during surveillance after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), and a patent inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is a known risk factor for an endoleak. The effect of routine IMA embolisation prior to EVAR on overall outcome is unknown. The aim of the study was to compare two strategies: routine attempted IMA embolisation prior to EVAR (strategy in centre A) and leaving the IMA untouched (strategy in centre B)., Methods: Patients were treated with EVAR in two centres during the period 2005 - 2015, and the data were reviewed retrospectively. The primary endpoints were re-intervention rate due to type II endoleaks and the late IMA embolisation rate. Secondary endpoints included EVAR related re-intervention, sac enlargement, aneurysm rupture, and open conversion rates., Results: Strategy A was used to treat 395 patients. The IMA was patent in 268 (67.8%) patients, and embolisation was performed in 164 (41.5%). The corresponding figures for strategy B were 337 patients with 279 (82.8%) patent IMAs, two (0.6%) of which were embolised. The mean duration of follow up was 70 months for strategy A and 68.2 months for strategy B. The re-intervention rates due to a type II endoleak were 12.9% and 10.4%, respectively (p = .29), with no significant difference in the rate of re-interventions to occlude a patent IMA (2.0% and 4.7%, respectively; p = .039). The EVAR related re-intervention rate was similar, regardless of strategy (24.1% and 24.6%, respectively; p = .93). Significant sac enlargement was seen in 20.3% of cases treated with strategy A and in 19.6% treated with strategy B (p = .82). The rupture and conversion rates were 2.5% and 2.1% (p = .69) and 1.0% and 1.5% (p = .40), respectively., Conclusion: The strategy of routinely embolising the IMA does not seem to yield any significant clinical benefit and should therefore be abandoned., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Although inferior mesenteric artery occlusion due to acute aortic dissection sometimes occurs, it is usually not considered an important finding. Herein, we present an extremely rare case of delayed bowel ischaemia due to inferior mesenteric artery occlusion in Stanford type A acute aortic dissection that highlights the need for cardiac surgeons to be mindful of inferior mesenteric artery occlusion in patients with superior mesenteric artery dissection or vascular anomalies in the mesenteric arteries., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

Background: Widely implemented in clinical practice 3D-CT angiography allows to conduct the analysis of vascular anatomy at the preoperative stage. The aim of this study was to carry out a detailed analysis of variants of the anatomy of the LCA, its relationship with the surrounding structures and to study the nuances that may complicate and increase the time of D3 lymph node dissection with preservation of LCA., Methods: In this study, we included 103 patients with left sided colon and rectal cancer who underwent preoperative 3D-CT angiography., Results: According to Zebrowski Classification, 8 most frequent variants of IMA branching patterns are allocated: type A (35 patients [34%]); type B (28 patients [27.2%]); type C (3 patients [2.9%]); type D (4 patients [3.9%]); type E (7 patients [6.8%]); type F (7 patients [6.8%]); type G (6 patients [5.8%]); and type H (13 patients [12.6%]). The average distance from the root of the IMA to the branch of the LCA was 35.29±10.18 mm (11-66 mm). There are 3 types of anatomical relationship between IMA-LCA-IMV system. Medial type was in 10 (9.7%) cases, lateral in 64 (62.1%), distal in 29 (28.2%). LCA intersects with the IMV at a distance of 20.97±13.59 mm (2-65) in patients with lateral and distal type., Conclusions: Careful preoperative analysis of vascular anatomy will assess the difficulty of performing D3 lymph node dissection with LCA preservation. Moreover, it reduces the time during the operation to identify structures and to develop a personalized strategy for the operation.

Background: Persistent descending mesocolon (PDM) is a fetal abnormality in which the left-sided colon is not fused to the retroperitoneum, and it is often accompanied by the adhesion between the mesocolon and small bowel mesentery. Due to its rarity, whether PDM exhibits anatomical characteristics of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and left colic artery (LCA), and how the anomaly affects laparoscopic surgery are largely unknown. We investigated the branches of these arteries and outcomes of patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery., Methods: Based on computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional CT angiography, branching patterns of the IMA, LCA and branches originating from the LCA were analysed in 954 patients with left-sided colon or rectal cancer. PDM was diagnosed by preoperative CT colonography, and confirmed at time of surgery. The anatomical features of the vessels and short-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery were compared between patient groups stratified by PDM., Results: Twelve patients (1.3%) were diagnosed with PDM. No branching pattern of the IMA specific to PDM was noted. On the other hand, patients with PDM had fewer branches (mean: 1.0) from the LCA than those without PDM (mean: 1.8, p = 0.009). In patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, outcomes such as operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and number of harvested nodes were comparable between the two patient groups., Conclusion: Few branches of the LCA characterize PDM. PDM does not complicate laparoscopic surgery of the left-sided colon and rectum. However, the above anatomical feature increases the risk of poor colonic perfusion when dividing the LCA., (© 2022 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)

Objectives: Our goal was to identify the inferior mesenteric artery diameter and number of patent lumbar arteries causing a significant type 2 endoleak to develop after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair., Material and Methods: Included were patients who underwent infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair between April 2002 and January 2017. Patients with an aneurysm involving the iliac arteries were excluded. Significant type 2 endoleak was defined as a type 2 endoleak observed after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair and accompanied by abdominal aneurysm growth of at least 5 mm during that time., Results: A total of 277 patients were included. Mean follow-up was 38.9 (standard deviation 121.6) months. Immediately after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair, type 2 endoleaks occurred in 55 patients (20%), resolving spontaneously in 2 patients 6 months after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair. Thirty (10.8%) patients revealed a significant type 2 endoleak with aneurysm sack enlargement > 5 mm during follow-up, for which inferior mesenteric artery or lumbar artery coiling was performed. Mean time for coiling after primary infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair was 25.4 (standard deviation 19.10) months. Twenty-three patients (8.3%) showed a non-significant type 2 endoleak during follow-up (no aneurysm sack enlargement). We found that the inferior mesenteric artery diameter and number of patent lumbar arteries were factors associated with a significant type 2 endoleak (odds ratio 1.755, P = 0.001; odds ratio 1.717, P < 0.001, respectively). Prior to endovascular aneurysm repair, the inferior mesenteric artery was patent in 212 (76.5%) patients; its median diameter measured 3 (0.5-3.8) mm. The median number of patent lumbar arteries was 3 (2-4). According to our receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, an inferior mesenteric artery diameter ≥3 mm (sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 65%) and ≥3 patent lumbar arteries (sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 43.6%) proved to be optimal cut-off values related to developing a significant type 2 endoleak. We therefore propose a composite score for the development of a significant type 2 endoleak [(inferior mesenteric artery diameter + patent lumbar arteries)/2]., Conclusions: Patients in whom the diameter of the inferior mesenteric artery is ≥ 3 mm and with ≥ 3 patent lumbar arteries carry a higher risk of developing significant type 2 endoleak after infrarenal endovascular aneurysm repair., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

Objectives: The objective of this study is to analyze the main patterns of branching of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and to determine if your knowledge changes the surgical strategy in the colorectal cancer., Methods: This retrospective study included 63 patients with cancer of the sigmoid or rectum. We assessed the patterns of IMA in 3 subtypes: type A (independent left colic artery [LCA]), type B (LCA and sigmoid artery arising in a common trunk) and type C (LCA, sigmoid artery, and superior rectal artery with a common origin). Colorectal surgeons evaluated how the vascular map changed the type of IMA ligation., Results: Inferior mesenteric artery branching was classified as type A in 55.6% patients, type B in 23.8%, and type C in 20.6%. Knowledge of the vascular map changed the type of ligation from high to low in 20 of the 50 patients who were candidates for surgery. The change was possible in tumors located in the sigmoid colon and the rectosigmoid junction with the type A or B branching., Conclusions: Preoperative Multidetector Computed Tomography angiography can define the pattern of IMA branching. Based on this information, a low ligation can be performed in tumors located in sigmoid colon and rectosigmoid junction with IMA branching types A and B., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The literature reports the presence of the intermesenteric artery (IA), an anastomosis connecting the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) to the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) in 9-18% of human cadaver dissections. This is the first study describing the morphological and demographic characteristics of the IA based on in vivo imaging., Methods: A total of 150 consecutive abdominal computed tomography (CT) angiographies of adult patients identified by sex and age were analyzed. The IA was assessed for its presence, point of origin, pathway, point of insertion, and diameter at its origin. The diameters of the SMA, IMA, and other arteries from which the IA originated and into which it inserted were measured by CT angiography using Radiant™ and Osirix MD™ software., Results: The IA was found in 17 (51.5%) of the females and 60 (51.3%) of the males. The diameters of the SMA and IMA were larger in the males than in the females, but there was no sex difference in the diameter of the IA. The diameter of the SMA was larger than that of the IMA, and the diameter of the IA was smaller than that of the other arteries evaluated. An IA connecting the SMA and IMA trunks was found in 25.9% of the cases, while other connections between the branches of those trunks through an IA occurred less frequently., Conclusions: The intermesenteric artery is more frequently found than the literature refers and in most of cases directly connects the upper and lower arterial mesenteric circulations., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) aneurysms represent the minority of visceral aneurysm presentations. A 57-year-old female was admitted with a symptomatic IMA aneurysm secondary to atherosclerotic disease. She was treated with open excision which revealed a contained ruptured of a true aneurysm. This case highlights the challenges of an accurate preoperative diagnosis of IMA aneurysm and the correct position of the recent guidelines on visceral aneurysms issued by the Society of Vascular Surgery (SVS).

Background: This study was aimed to explore the clinical application of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) monoenergetic plus (mono+) imaging to evaluate anatomical variations in the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA)., Methods: The clinical and imaging data of 212 patients who had undergone total abdominal DECT were retrospectively analyzed. The post-processing mono+ technique was used to obtain 40-keV single-level images in the arterial phase. Three-dimensional reconstruction was performed to evaluate the relationship between the IMA root position and the spinal level, IMA length, and IMA branch type, as well as the position of the left colic artery (LCA) and inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) at the IMA root level., Results: The IMA root was located at the L3 level in 78.3% of cases and at the L2/L3 level in 3.3%. The highest vertebral level of IMA origin was L2 (4.2%), and the lowest was L4 (7.1%). The distance from the IMA root to the level of the sacral promontory was 99.58 ± 13.07 mm, which increased with the elevation of the IMA root at the spinal level. Of the patients, 53.8% demonstrated Type I IMA, 23.1% Type II, 20.7% Type III, and 2.4% Type IV. The length of the IMA varied from 13.6 to 66.0 mm. 77.3% of the IMAs belonged to Type A, the adjacent type, and 22.7% to Type B, the distant type., Conclusion: DECT mono+ can preoperatively evaluate the anatomical characteristics of the IMA and the positional relationship between the LCA and IMV at the IMA root level, which would help clinicians plan individualized surgery for patients., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Anastomotic leak (AL) is a serious complication following colorectal surgery. Atherosclerosis causes inadequate anastomotic perfusion and is suggested to be a risk factor for AL. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of mesenteric occlusive disease on preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan with AL after left-sided colon or rectal cancer surgery., Methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter cohort study including 1273 patients that underwent left-sided or rectal cancer resection between 2009 and 2018 from three hospitals in the Netherlands. AL patients were 1:1 matched with non-leak patients and preoperative contrast-enhanced CT-scans were retrospectively analyzed for mesenteric atherosclerotic lesions. The main outcome measure was the presence of mesenteric occlusive disease on the preoperative CT-scan., Results: Anastomotic leak developed in 6% of 1273 patients (N = 76). Low anterior resection and stage I-III disease were statistically significant associated with AL (p = 0.01, p = 0.04). No other statistically significant differences in patient characteristics between AL and non-leak patients were found. A clinically significant stenosis (≥ 70-100%) of the inferior mesenteric artery was statistically significant more frequent present in AL patients, compared to non-leak patients (p < 0.01). No statistically significant differences in the presence of mesenteric occlusive disease of the celiac artery and superior mesenteric artery between AL patients and non-leak patients were found., Conclusion: Mesenteric occlusive disease of the IMA on preoperative CT-scan is associated with AL after left-sided colon or rectal resection for cancer. Preoperative identification of high-risk patients with a preoperative CT-scan of the mesenteric vasculature might be useful to reduce the risk of AL., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Variations of the vasculature at splenic flexure by left colic artery (LCA) and middle colic artery (MCA) remain ambiguous., Objectives: This study aim to investigate the anatomical variations of the branches from LCA and MCA at splenic flexure area., Methods: Using ultra-thin CT images (0.5-mm thickness), we traced LCA and MCA till their merging site with paracolic marginal arteries through maximum intensity projection (MIP) reconstruction and computed tomography angiography (3D-CTA)., Results: A total of 229 cases were retrospectively enrolled. LCA ascending branch approached upwards till the distal third of the transverse colon in 37.6%, reached the splenic flexure in 37.6%, and reached the lower descending colon in 23.1%, and absent in 1.7% of the cases. Areas supplied by MCA left branch and aMCA were 33.2%, 44.5% and 22.3% in the proximal, middle and distal third of transverse colon of the cases, respectively. The accessory MCA separately originated from the superior mesenteric artery was found in 17.9% of the cases. Mutual correlation was found that, when the LCA ascending branch supplied the distal transverse colon, MCA left branch tended to feed the proximal transverse colon; when the LCA ascending branch supplied the lower part of descending colon, MCA left branch was more likely to feed the distal third of transverse colon., Conclusions: Vasculature at splenic flexure by LCA and MCA varied at specific pattern. This study could add more anatomical details for vessel management in surgeries for left-sided colon cancer., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None.

Background: The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is a blood vessel of great importance in left colon and rectal cancer surgery. We aimed to determine the role of surgeons in computed tomography (CT) based vascular anatomy interpretation., Method: Patients with left colon and rectal cancer treated surgically with D3 lymph node dissection and selective vascular ligation were included in this study. All patients ( n =250) underwent preoperative CT with intravenous contrast. The IMA anatomy was schematically depicted by surgeon based on CT interpretation. Intraoperatively anatomy was defined by skeletonisation of the IMA. All patients had segmental resection with selective vascular ligation. The concurrence of prospectively obtained results were evaluated by intraclass correlation and Kendall's tau-b test. Misinterpretation of IMA anatomy was analysed by CT-specialist., Results: The preoperative and intraoperative IMA anatomy features were correctly interpreted in 237 cases (in 94.8%) within skeletonisation extent, which is supported by high level of agreement and concordance of preoperative data regards to intraoperative findings (K=0.926; p <0.001; CC=0.912; p <0.001). As a result of the CT-based evaluation of the IMA, E, K, and H types of branching patterns were proposed. IMV position was mistakenly identified in 2.6% of cases., Conclusion: Surgeons are able to evaluate the IMA anatomy accurately with CT and use it in routine preoperative planning. The E, K, and H branching types may be used when defining approach to skeletonisation and level of vascular ligation.

Objective: The midterm results of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) with aortic side branch coil embolization during EVAR was evaluated., Methods: Our center began coil embolization for all patent inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and lumbar artery (LA) with an inner diameter more than 2.0 mm during EVAR since June 2015. When four or more LA were patent, coil embolization for LA with inner diameter 2.0 mm or less was done. EVAR without aortic side branches coil embolization was performed for 59 patients prior to June 2015 (control group) and 79 patients underwent EVAR with coil embolization during EVAR (coil group). The success rate of coil embolization for IMA and LA was evaluated in coil group. The frequency of type 2 endoleak (T2EL), freedom from aneurysm sac expansion (5 mm or more) rate and the rate of the aneurysm sac shrinkage (10 mm or more) were compared between the coil and control groups. Additionally, multiple logistic regression analysis for all patients was conducted to analyze whether IMA patency and the number of patent lumbar artery at the end of EVAR were the risk factors of the aneurysm sac expansion of 5 mm or more., Results: The success rate of IMA coil embolization was 96.4% and that of LA was 74.5%. Compared to the control group, the frequency of T2EL was significantly lower in coil group at 7 days (1.3% vs. 60.4%, P <0.0001) and at 6 months (2.1% vs 38.2%, P <0.0001) after EVAR. The freedom from aneurysm sac expansion rate was significantly better in the coil group at 5 years (100% in coil group and 65.2% in control group, P = 0.002). The rate of aneurysm sac shrinkage was significantly better in coil group (15.5% vs. 2.0% at 1 year, 42.8% vs. 6.3% at 2 years and 53.4% vs. 17.8% at 3 years, p = 0.0007). The risk of aneurysm sac expansion of 5 mm or more was estimated to be 11 times greater when the IMA was patent, and 4.9 times greater when 3 or more LAs were patent at the end of EVAR., Conclusion: When IMA was occluded and the number of patent LA became 2 or less by aortic side branch coil embolization during EVAR, favorable mid-term results were safely obtained and good long-term result could be expected with EVAR., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The medial-to-lateral approach is favored by most colorectal surgeons for laparoscopic retroperitoneal dissection and mobilisation of the left colon. The peritoneal access window, i.e. the distance between the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) must be large enough to perform the procedure safely and successfully. However, studies investigating the IMA-IMV distance and factors affecting this variable, are scarce. Therefore, we examined the IMA-IMV and D3-IMA distances to determine an anatomical framework on planning and adapting surgical therapy., Basic Procedures: The IMA-IMV and D3-IMA distances were retrospectively measured in 230 patients (127 Male/103 Female, Median Age=54.5) who had undergone pre-operative CT-scanning before laparoscopic left-sided colorectal surgery. Two observers rated the images and interrater reliability was calculated. Subgroup, simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed in order to detect potential interaction between morphometric variables and IMA-IMV distance., Main Findings: We demonstrated a significant correlation between the inferior margin of the duodenum and the origin of IMA. Determination of the IMA-IMV distance was simple and reproducible. Approximately 45% of patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal procedures had a narrow distance (≤50mm). There was a sexual dimorphism in IMA-IMV distance, being consistently large in males. There were no other pre-operative factors which predicted whether the peritoneal dissection window for a medial-to-lateral approach was sufficient., Conclusions: Our results provide new data for a better understanding of metric variations in abdominal vascular structures and complement previous observations. In view of our results, we recommend pre-operative measurement of the IMA-IMV before colorectal surgery where the medial-to-lateral approach is planned. Given that a narrow distance may predict a difficult dissection, this factor should be taken into account to determine the optimal surgical approach in each patient., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of preemptive inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) embolization on outcomes of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (EVAR)., Materials and Methods: From January 2015 to July 2017, all patients undergoing elective EVAR or fenestrated EVAR (F-EVAR) for asymptomatic AAA in a single tertiary hospital were retrospectively included. Three groups of patients were defined: patients with a patent IMA who underwent embolization during EVAR/F-EVAR (group 1), those with a patent IMA who did not undergo embolization during EVAR/F-EVAR (group 2), and those with a chronically occluded IMA (group 3). Preoperative aortic morphology, demographics, and procedural details were recorded. Aneurysmal growth (≥5 mm), reintervention, and overall mortality rates were analyzed using multivariate proportional hazard multivariate modeling. Propensity scores were constructed, and inverse probability weighting was applied to a new set of multivariate analyses to perform a sensitivity analysis., Results: A total of 266 patients (male, 95% [n = 249]) with a median age of 70 (65-77) years were included, with F-EVAR procedures comprising 87 (32.7%) of the interventions. There were 52, 142, and 72 patients in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Changes in aneurysmal sac size did not differ between groups, nor did overall survival or reintervention rates at 24 months. IMA embolization was not identified as an independently protective factor for aneurysmal growth during follow-up (relative risk [RR] = 2.82/mm [0.96-8.28], P = .060), whereas accessory renal arteries (RR = 5.07/mm [1.72-14.96], P = .003) and a larger preoperative aneurysmal diameter (RR = 1.09/mm [1.03-1.15], P = .004) were independent risk factors for sac enlargement., Conclusions: Preventive embolization of the IMA during EVAR or F-EVAR did not promote aneurysmal sac shrinking or decrease the reintervention rate at 2-year follow-up., (Copyright © 2021 SIR. All rights reserved.)

Inferior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula is a rare abnormal high flow communication with only 40 primary and secondary cases reported in literature. Shunting of arterial flow through the inferior mesenteric vein to the portal system can cause a variety of nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms usually associated with the diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation. Symptom intensities are flow-dependent and can range from minimal abdominal symptoms to severe heart failure due to left to right shunt. We report the case of a 72-year-old man without past history of abdominal surgery or trauma who was referred to our department for a 2-month history of intermittent diarrhea and abdominal pain caused by an arteriovenous fistula involving the left colic artery and the inferior mesenteric vein. A progressive and spontaneous improvement of symptoms and a control CT scan that confirmed the reduction of venous vascular engorgement and regression of parietal thickening of the left and sigmoid colon permitted a non-operative management.Inferior mesenteric arteriovenous fistula can be a rare cause of ischemic colitis and, if necessary, an appropriate treatment based on high clinical suspicion can reduce the risk of complications related to a missed diagnosis., (© 2021. Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.)

The quality of mesorectal resection is crucial for resection in rectal cancer, which should be performed by laparoscopy for better outcome. The use of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence is now routinely used in some centers to evaluate bowel perfusion. Previous studies have demonstrated in animal models that selective intra-arterial ICG staining can be used to define and visualize resection margins in rectal cancer. In this animal study, we investigate if laparoscopic intra-arterial catheterization is feasible and the staining of resection margins when performing total mesorectal excision with a laparoscopic medial to lateral approach is possible. In 4 pigs, laparoscopic catheterization of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is performed using a seldinger technique. After a bolus injection of 10 ml ICG with a concentration of 0.25 mg/ml, a continuous intra-arterial perfusion was established at a rate of 2 ml/min. The quality of the staining was evaluated qualitatively. Laparoscopic catheterization was possible in all cases, and the average time for this was 30.25 ± 3.54 min. We observed a significant fluorescent signal in all areas of the IMA supplied, but not in other parts of the abdominal cavity or organs. In addition, the mesorectum showed a sharp border between stained and unstained tissue. Intraoperative isolated fluorescence augmentation of the rectum, including the mesorectum by laparoscopic catheterization, is feasible. Inferior mesenteric artery catheterization and ICG perfusion can provide a fluorescence-guided roadmap to identify the correct plane in total mesorectal excision, which should be investigated in further studies., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The descending branch of the left colic artery (dLCA) is under-recognized and has not been clearly defined. The dLCA is often confused with the sigmoid artery (SA) originating from the left colic artery (LCA). We clarified the anatomical characteristics of the dLCA and searched for surrogate measures to identify it., Methods: Arterial phase, venous phase, and three-dimensional images of abdominal arteries were created in 411 patients using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). We analyzed the branching patterns of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) based on CT. The dLCA was defined as the artery originating from the LCA that flows into the marginal artery along the descending colon. We tested three candidate diagnostic measures for the dLCA using positional relationships and the segment length of vessels., Results: Arteries from the LCA were present in 360 patients, among which 459 dLCAs and 165 SAs were identified in 333 and 146, respectively. By the first measure of identifying the artery with its root lateral to the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) as the dLCA, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rate were 94%, 87%, and 92%, respectively. The second measure of identifying the artery with its root higher than the root of the IMA as the dLCA and the third of identifying the artery with its root located > 27.6 mm from the root of LCA as the dLCA yielded lower accuracy rates (69% and 89%, respectively)., Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that dLCAs are prevalent (93%) and may be easily found lateral to the IMV in clinical practice.

Background: In patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), run-off MR-angiography (MRA) is a commonly performed diagnostic test to obtain high-resolution images for evaluation of the arterial system from the aorta through the distal run-off vessels. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of visceral artery involvement (VAI) in patients with PAD and leg symptoms examined with run-off MRA., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 145 patients (median age 68 years, range 27-91) who underwent MRA due to known or suspected PAD at our institution between 2012 and 2018. MRA examinations were re-evaluated for visceral artery stenosis. Patient dossiers were reviewed to determine cardiovascular risk factors, kidney function and Fontaine stage of PAD., Results: Involvement of at least one visceral artery with ≥ 50% diameter stenosis was found in 72 (50%) patients. There were no differences in age, gender, MRA indication, Fontaine stage, levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), cardiovascular risk factors or vascular comorbidities between patients with and without VAI. Renal artery (RA) involvement with ≥ 50% diameter stenosis was observed in 28 (20%) of patients. Patients with involvement of the RA were more likely to suffer from hypertension (79 vs. 54%, p = 0.019) and reduced renal function (glomerular filtration rate 70 vs. 88 mL/min/1.73m 2 , p = 0.014)., Conclusion: Visceral artery stenosis can be seen in half of patients with known or suspected PAD and leg symptoms on run-off MRA. Investigating for RA stenosis in patients with PAD and hypertension and/or impaired renal function may have high diagnostic yield.

Objective: The benefit of preventive treatment for superior mesenteric artery (SMA) stenosis remains uncertain. The latest European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) guidelines remain unclear given the lack of data in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate asymptomatic SMA stenosis prognosis according to the presence of associated coeliac artery (CA) and/or inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) stenosis., Methods: This was a single academic centre retrospective study. The entire computed tomography (CT) database of a single tertiary hospital was reviewed from 2009 to 2016. Two groups were defined: patients with isolated > 70% SMA stenosis (group A) and patients with both SMA and CA and/or IMA > 70% stenosis (group B). Patient medical histories were reviewed to determine the occurrence of mesenteric disease (MD) defined as development of acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) or chronic mesenteric ischaemia (CMI)., Results: Seventy-seven patients were included. Median follow up was 39 months. There were 24 patients in group A and 53 patients in group B. In group B, eight (10.4%) patients developed MD with a median onset of 50 months. AMI occurred in five patients with a median of 33 months and CMI in three patients with a median of 88 months. Patients of group B developed more MD (0% vs. 15.1%; p = .052). The five year survival rate was 45% without significant difference between groups., Conclusion: Patients with SMA stenosis associated with CA and/or IMA seem to have a higher risk of developing mesenteric ischaemia than patients with isolated SMA stenosis. Considering the low life expectancy of these patients, cardiovascular risk factor assessment and optimisation of medical treatment is essential. Preventive endovascular revascularisation could be discussed for patients with non-isolated > 70% SMA stenosis, taking into account life expectancy., (Copyright © 2021 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) lymph node metastasis [IMALN (+)] on prognosis in left-sided colorectal cancer (LCRC)., Patients and Methods: A total of 285 patients with stage III LCRC and 118 patients with stage IV LCRC who underwent resection of primary tumor between 2005 and 2016 were included., Results: IMALN (+) patients (n=10) had worse overall survival (OS) than patients without IMA lymph node metastasis [IMALN (-); n=275] in stage III LCRC (p=0.007). Multivariate analysis revealed that IMALN (+) was a prognostic factor in stage III LCRC (OS, HR=3.09, p=0.043). Conversely, there was no difference between the OS of IMALN (+) and stage IV LCRC with distant lymph node metastasis only [stage IV LCRC (LYM); n=21; p=0.434]., Conclusion: The prognosis of IMALN (+) was worse than that of IMALN (-); it was similar to that of stage IV LCRC (LYM)., (Copyright © 2021 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background: The reliability of the registered ligation level of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) in the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry has been questioned. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate this parameter in the registry by comparing the registered ligation levels with a postoperative computed tomography angiography (CT-angiography) in patients operated for rectal cancer., Methods: Patients operated for rectal cancer at two Swedish university hospitals were prospectively included between December 2016 and December 2019. At the 1-year postoperative follow-up, an additional CT-angiography was performed and independently examined by two radiologists. The radiological assessment of the ligation level was compared to registry data, using different measures of agreement., Results: A total of 94 patients were included, 55 (59%) were men and 39 (41%) women. All patients underwent abdominal resection: conventional or robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery, n=56 (60%), or open resection, n=38 (40%). The ligation level as assessed on CT-angiography was high in 29 (31%) patients and low in 65 (69%). The registered level of ligation of the IMA and the radiological assessment of the CT-angiographies were consistent in 77/94 cases, demonstrating an 82% agreement and a sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 72%, respectively. The estimated Kappa value was 0.58, reaching 0.64 after prevalence bias adjustment., Conclusion: This study showed that CT-angiography can be used to evaluate the reliability of the registered ligation level in the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry. The demonstrated agreement between the registry and postoperative CT-angiography was moderate to good. This discrepancy impacts registry-based research using IMA ligation data and may ultimately influence surgical practice., Trial Registration: Clinical Trials identifier NCT03875612.