RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy of catheter aspiration or combined with thrombolysis in the treatment of superior mesenteric artery embolism(SMAE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical and imaging data of 25 SMAE patients who underwent catheter aspiration or combined with urokinase thrombolysis in the First People's Hospital and the Second People's Hospital of Changzhou from January 2005 to July 2013 were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty patients were confirmed as SMA trunk embolism and 5 as SMA branch artery embolism. The embolic SMA trunks were completely recannulated by catheter aspiration in the above 20 cases, but small emboli embolized distal branch artery in 6 cases. These 6 patients plus above 5 patients with branch artery embolism received catheter aspiration combined with thrombolytic therapy. Among these 11 patients, complete open, partial open and non-open of branch arteries were found in 5, 3, 3 cases respectively, while collateral circulation increased significantly in non-open patients. During the follow-up period of (4.1±2.2) months, clinical symptom relief and digestive function recovery were observed in 24 cases. Only one case underwent bowel resection because of intestinal necrosis 24 hours after treatment and developed short bowel syndrome.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Catheter aspiration or combined with thrombolysis is a safe and effective method in treating SMAE.</p>