Roentgenographic findings of experimental bowel ischaemia is dogs following occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (author's transl)

Abstract

The results after ligation of the superior mesenteric artery in 17 dogs demonstrated, that a "gasless" abdomen and small bowel pseudo-obstruction are unspecific early roentgenographic findings and bowel-wall thickening with narrowed lumen and increased distance to neighbouring loops are a specific early roentgenographic plain-film findings of acute bowel ischemia following mesenteric vascular occlusion. Approximately 10 hours after ligation a combined distension of small and large bowel with dilatation and air-fluid levels is demonstrable as a sign of paralytic ileus with diffuse peritonitis without possibility of differentiation from other causes of this entity. Gas in the bowel wall, in the superior mesenteric vein and in the portal venous system is a late specific plain-film finding resulting from the invasion of gas-forming bacteria into the devitalized bowel wall with advanced gangrene and a sign of infaust prognosis. The results of the plain-film examinations are correlated to angiographic, clinical and laboratory findings, as well as to histology and bacteriology of the ischemic bowel segments.