Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in Veterans Affairs medical centers.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to define outcomes after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair in Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers during fiscal years 1991 through 1993. METHODS: With VA patient treatment file data, patients were selected from diagnosis-related groups 110 and 111 and were then classified in a patient management category. In the categories of repair of nonruptured and ruptured AAA, mortality and postoperative complication rates were defined for patients who underwent AAA repair in VA medical centers during the 3-year study period. RESULTS: Hospital mortality rates were 4.86% (166 of 3419) after repair of nonruptured AAA and 47.0% (126 of 268) after repair of ruptured AAA (p<0.001). Of 292 deaths after AAA repair, 136 (43.2%) followed repair of ruptured AAA, even though ruptured AAA comprised only 7.3% of total AAA surgical volume. AAA repairs were performed at 116 VA medical centers, with 31.8+/-23.1 (range, 1 to 140) procedures performed at each center. Although many lower-volume centers had excellent results, centers that performed >or=32 AAA repairs tended to have lower in-hospital mortality rates after repair of nonruptured AAA than those that performed

The challenge of benchmarking: surgical volume and operative mortality in Veterans Administration Medical Centers.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the relationship between hospital surgical volume and operative modality rate. Emphasis is placed on the role of referral patterns; the effects of variation in patient condition, operative procedures, and hospital characteristics, and the contribution of volume of related procedures, in addition to specific-procedure volume, the definition of operative mortality, and their influence on surgical outcome. METHODS: This cohort study included all Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers with surgery programs. All patients in five operation-diagnosis sets (colectomy for cancer, colectomy without cancer, amputation above the knee, coronary artery bypass grafting for old myocardial infarction, and open-heart valvuloplasty), discharged from 1987 through 1989, were assessed to determine the risk-adjusted 30-day postoperative morality rate. RESULTS: Only one of the studied groups, valvuloplasty, demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between hospital surgical volume and operative mortality rate. No additional effect on outcome owing to related procedure volume was noted. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates some of the difficulties in assessing surgical results and that we should be skeptical of the intuitively attractive notion that high annual volumes of operations will necessarily result in improved outcomes. This is congruent with recent literature in which there is no broad-based evidence that hospital surgical volume affects operative mortality rate.

Effects of lumbar sympathectomy on canine transcutaneous oxygen tension.

Augmentation of cutaneous blood flow by postganglionic lumbar sympathectomy may not reflect an increase in nutritive vascular supply to the dermal tissues. Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) was compared with radionuclide microsphere determination of dermal microcirculation in a hind limb sympathectomy model in 20 dogs. After 90 minutes the TcPO2 was greater in the sympathectomized limbs than in the contralateral limbs (125 mm Hg versus 114 mm Hg, p < or = 0.05). In contrast, microsphere-determined paw dermal capillary flow declined in sympathectomized limbs (4.9 ml/min/100 gm versus 11.8 ml/min/100 gm, p < or = 0.05). Decreases in the TcPO2/venous PO2 ratio correlated with sympathectomy-induced increases in total limb blood flow (r = 0.60; p < or = 0.001), reflecting less efficient oxygen extraction. These observations confirm the lack of enhancement of tissue oxygen delivery by sympathectomy because of the associated dilation of cutaneous arteriovenous shunts.

Clinical characteristics and surgical management of vascular complications in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization: interventional versus diagnostic procedures.

The purpose of this report is to define the clinical characteristics and outcome of surgical management of vascular complications after interventional cardiac catheterization and to contrast them to those after diagnostic cardiac catheterization. From October 1985 to December 1989, 101 patients were treated for 106 vascular complications after 1866 interventional and 5046 diagnostic cardiac catheterizations at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Interventional catheterizations resulted in 69 vascular complications in 64 patients (frequency 3.4%). The most common interventions included coronary angioplasty (34), of which 10 required percutaneous partial cardiopulmonary bypass, intraaortic balloon pump placement (14), and aortic valvuloplasty (11). Interventional catheter-related complications included hemorrhage (33), arterial thrombosis (18), pseudoaneurysm formation (12), catheter embolization (2), thromboembolism (2), as well as arteriovenous fistula, pseudoaneurysm, and arterial dissection (1 each). Fifteen of these 69 patients (24%) had suffered acute myocardial infarction just before their catheterization. Surgical repair was performed under local anesthesia in 70% of patients. Major vascular reconstructions were required in 9% of patients. Three percent of the involved lower extremities had to be amputated because of complications occurring after arterial puncture. Eight percent of the patients incurring vascular complications after interventional procedures died after operation. Diagnostic catheterizations resulted in 37 vascular complications in 37 patients (frequency 0.7%). In contrast to diagnostic cardiac catheterization, vascular complications after interventional cardiac catheterization occurred more frequently, were most often due to hemorrhage at the vascular access site, and occurred in high-risk, critically ill patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arterial aneurysms in children: clinicopathologic classification.

Thirty-one arterial macroaneurysms in 23 pediatric-aged patients (16 boys and 7 girls) were treated at the University of Michigan. The average age at time of diagnosis was 10.2 years (range 6 months to 18 years). Vessels involved the aorta (4), as well as hepatic (1), splenic (2), gastroepiploic (1), renal (12), iliac (1), superficial femoral (4), popliteal (1), brachial (1), radial (2), and ulnar (2) arteries. Twelve children exhibited overt clinical manifestations including presence of a mass (7), local pain (3), hematemesis (1), and painless obstructive jaundice (1). Eleven children had asymptomatic lesions. Aneurysm existence was confirmed by arteriography or operation. All but one child underwent surgical therapy, with 20 long-term survivors (mean follow-up 3.5 years). One operative death occurred and one death occurred 6 years after surgery. This experience and a review of previously reported cases served as a basis for categorization of childhood aneurysmal disease as true aneurysms associated with (I) arterial infection, (II) giant-cell aortoarteritis, (III) autoimmune connective tissue disease, (IV) Kawasaki's disease, (V) Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Marfan's syndrome, (VI) other forms of noninflammatory medial degeneration, (VII) arterial dysplasias, (VIII) congenital-idiopathic factors, as well as (IX) false aneurysms associated with extravascular events causing vessel wall injury or disruption. Knowledge of the varied clinicopathologic characteristics of arterial aneurysms in children is important in treating these patients.

Artery, periarterial adipose tissue, and blood microbiology during vascular reconstructive surgery: perioperative and early postoperative observations.

The presence and clinical significance of bacteria in the arterial wall, periarterial adipose tissue, and blood samples acquired during elective vascular operations were assessed in this study. Specimens were obtained from a random series of 84 patients (56 men, 28 women) undergoing 75 primary and 9 secondary arterial reconstructions. Operations performed most frequently included abdominal aortic aneurysmectomy (42), aortofemoral bypass reconstruction (15), and lower extremity bypass surgery for occlusive disease (7). Perioperative antibiotics were administered to all but one patient. A sample of artery, adjacent adipose tissue, and blood were obtained for microbial analysis during the vascular anastomosis or arteriotomy. This yielded a total of 152 artery, 139 adipose tissue, and 129 blood samples for study. Each specimen was divided and placed in blood agar plates, thioglycolate broth, and brain-heart infusion broth. Tissues yielding growth of the same organism(s) in two or more different media were considered positive for the presence of bacteria. Bacteria were present in at least one of the three tissues studied in 32/84 patients (38%). The frequency of positive cultures in primary (29/75, 39%) and secondary procedures (3/9, 33%) were similar. One positive culture site occurred in 26/32 (81%) patients, two positive culture sites existed in 5/32 (16%) patients, and three positive sites were found in 1/22 (3%) patients. Eighteen individual artery (18/152, 12%) and 19 adipose tissue samples (19/139, 14%) harbored bacteria, whereas only two blood cultures were positive (2/129, 2%). Organisms identified included coagulase-negative staphylococci (71%), gamma-streptococci (7%), diphtheroids (7%), Micrococcus (5%), alpha-streptococci (5%), Staphylococcus aureus (2%), and Pseudomonas picketti (2%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pelvic exenteration, University of Michigan: 100 patients at 5 years.

One hundred patients undergoing pelvic exenteration (total 69, anterior 13, posterior 18) at the University of Michigan Medical Center from 1964-1984 are reported. All patients were followed for at least 5 years or until time of death. The overall cumulative survival was 66% at 3 years and 61% at 5 years. The age of the patients ranged from 21-74 years (median 53). The type of pelvic neoplasm included squamous cell of the cervix, 57; adenocarcinoma of the cervix, nine; squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva, 12; squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina, eight; vaginal sarcoma, four; adenocarcinoma of the vagina, one; adenocarcinoma of the endometrium, four; uterine sarcoma, four; and adenocarcinoma of the ovary, one. The cumulative 5-year survival was significantly related to the presence of metastatic disease to the regional lymph nodes (8% 3-year and 0% 5-year survival), time interval from primary diagnosis to exenteration (within 1 year 44%, 1-10 years 60%, and over 10 years 95%), and cell type (squamous cell 68%, sarcoma 62%, and adenocarcinoma 26%). Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (N = 57) had a cumulative 5-year survival of 73%, compared with nine patients with adenocarcinoma of the cervix, who had a 22% 5-year survival. No significant difference in survival existed for the type of exenteration, original stage of squamous cell cervical carcinoma, size of recurrent squamous cell lesion, or age of the patient. Early or late complications occurred in 49 patients. Two patients died in the postoperative period. Small-bowel obstruction was the most common complication seen in this series.

A prospective study of clinically and endoscopically documented colonic ischemia in 100 patients undergoing aortic reconstructive surgery with aggressive colonic and direct pelvic revascularization, compared with historic controls.

Clinically and endoscopically proved ischemia of the colon complicates elective aortic reconstruction in 1% to 2% and 6% to 7% of cases, respectively. Operative mortality exceeds 60% when transmural infarction occurs. A prospective study of colonic ischemia was undertaken in 100 male patients (mean age, 62.4 +/- 7.9 years) undergoing operation for aortic aneurysms (58) or aortoiliac occlusive disease (42). Conventional aortic surgery was undertaken in 88 patients, and in 12 patients adjunctive procedures to enhance colonic perfusion were performed 14 times, including IMA reimplantation (8), direct bypass to the internal iliac artery (4), and anastomosis of an aortofemoral bypass limb to adjacent common iliac artery (2). Colonoscopy was performed within 24 to 48 hours of aortic reconstruction. Three patients had endoscopic evidence of colonic ischemia. Transmural infarction did not develop in any patient, and bowel resections or diverting colostomies were not necessary. Three patients died, none manifesting colonic ischemia. The 12% utilization of adjunctive procedures to enhance blood flow in the colon was substantially greater than the 4% frequency of an earlier experience from our institution in which nearly half of the 5.7% operative mortality was attributed to colonic infarction. Attention to factors contributing to ischemia of the colon, and more frequent adjunctive revascularization of the colon, may lessen this complication of aortic reconstructive surgery.

Effects of continuous intravenous infusions of nitroglycerin on canine systemic and hind limb microcirculatory hemodynamics.

Systemic and hind limb hemodynamics were assessed in anesthetized dogs during continuous 30-minute intravenous infusions of nitroglycerin at 1, 5, 10, and 25 micrograms/kg/min. Nitroglycerin at 1 microgram/kg/min redistributed hind limb blood flow; hind limb arteriovenous shunting increased from 5.6% +/- 4.0% to 17.8% +/- 7.4% after 30 minutes (p less than 0.01); absolute hind limb shunt flow increased from 12 +/- 10 ml/min to 31 +/- 26 ml/min at 10 minutes (p less than 0.01); whereas hind limb nutrient blood flow decreased from 184 +/- 81 ml/min to 150 +/- 55 ml/min and 132 +/- 32 ml/min, respectively, at 10 and 30 minutes (p less than 0.05). Such hind limb blood flow redistribution was absent during infusion of all other nitroglycerin dosages. Total catecholamines increased at 30 minutes during both 1 and 10 micrograms/kg/min nitroglycerin infusions (p less than 0.05) with perhaps a slightly greater catecholamine response to 10 micrograms/kg/min after 30 minutes (0.05 less than p less than 0.10). The renin-angiotensin response at 3 minutes differed between nitroglycerin infusions of 1 and 10 micrograms/kg/min with an initial significant reduction from baseline in plasma renin activity at the lower dose compared with a significant increase from baseline in plasma activity at the higher dose. Nitroglycerin did not increase femoral artery flow or cardiac output and did not lower total peripheral vascular resistance at any dose studied. Despite this, arterial pressure and cardiac work were reduced at all nitroglycerin doses tested. Massive volume loading prevented the anticipated blood pressure reduction and blunted the expected cardiac work reduction during nitroglycerin infusions of 10 micrograms/kg/min. This study demonstrates that nitroglycerin is not a potent peripheral arteriolar vasodilator, 1 microgram/kg/min nitroglycerin infusions increase hind limb arteriovenous shunting and decrease hind limb nutrient blood flow, and myocardial work and arterial pressure reductions during nitroglycerin infusions appear to be caused by mechanisms other than generalized peripheral arterial dilation.

Prostacyclin treatment of ischemic ulcers and rest pain in unreconstructible peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

The efficacy of prostacyclin (PGI2) treatment was assessed in 26 patients with surgically unreconstructible atherosclerotic arterial occlusive disease of the lower extremity manifested by nonhealing ulcers and rest pain. Patients were randomized to receive a 72-hour intravenous infusion of PGI2 (6 ng/kg/min, n = 13) or placebo (n = 13). Ulcer size was measured by photographic planimetry, and rest pain was graded by blinded objective scoring at monthly intervals for 6 months. Ulcer size increased 64% in PGI2-treated patients and 22% in placebo-treated patients by 1 month after infusion. Rest pain decreased slightly in both PGI2 and placebo groups. At the conclusion of the study, 54% of placebo-treated patients and 31% of PGI2-treated patients had a positive treatment response, indicated by at least a 20% decrease in ulcer size and a 33% decrease in rest pain. PGI2 infusion did not improve the high-placebo response rate seen in these patients with severely ischemic extremities. These results emphasize the importance of placebo-controlled studies, even in patients with unreconstructible arterial disease.

Adrenergic and dopaminergic control of the canine paw microcirculation.

Basal isolated canine paw blood flow was equally distributed between arteriovenous anastomosis (AVA) and capillary circulations. Norepinephrine decreased AVA flow by 92% and capillary flow by 41%. Dopamine significantly reduced AVA flow by 94% compared to baseline with a 37% reduction in capillary flow. However, with alpha-adrenergic blockade dopamine decreased AVA flow 66% while capillary flow increased 42%. Isoproterenol increased capillary flow almost twofold and appeared to decrease AVA flow, although the latter was statistically insignificant. Differential effects of adrenergic and dopaminergic agonists on canine paw AVA and capillary blood flow suggest the existence of independent regulation of these components of the microcirculation.

Celiac artery aneurysms: historic (1745-1949) versus contemporary (1950-1984) differences in etiology and clinical importance.

Celiac artery aneurysms were encountered in nine patients, ranging in age from 39 to 76 years, at the University of Michigan Medical Center between 1961 and 1983. Developmental defects and atherosclerosis were etiologic factors in six cases. Four patients were without symptoms, whereas five experienced abdominal pain, including one with a ruptured aneurysm. Eight patients were subjected to surgical treatment; no deaths occurred and symptoms were resolved in all patients. A literature review of 108 celiac artery aneurysms revealed two distinct subgroups. Among 60 celiac artery aneurysms encountered before 1950, representing the historic era, 40% were infectious (usually luetic), 7% were traumatic, and 52% were of undetermined cause. Most were symptomatic, 87% ruptured, and 95% were diagnosed at postmortem examination. The contemporary era since 1950 consisted of 48 cases, including nine in the Michigan experience. Congenital or developmental medial defects of the arterial wall and atherosclerosis were the most common causes of aneurysms. Most aneurysms in the contemporary period were either asymptomatic or accompanied by vague abdominal discomfort. Rupture affected 13% of those aneurysms. Operative therapy was successfully undertaken in 91% of 43 patients during the contemporary era, including eight in the present series.

Actuarial analysis of variables associated with rupture of small abdominal aortic aneurysms.

This study identified risk factors associated with rupture of small abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients initially selected for nonoperative management. Sixty-seven patients, 53 men and 14 women, 50 to 91 years of age (mean 72 years) were followed 3 to 99 months (mean 36 months). All patients underwent serial aortic ultrasonography. The annual rate of aneurysm rupture was 6%, with an annual mortality rate caused by rupture of 5% and an annual mortality rate caused by coexistent disease of 6%. Thirty potential risk factors, including blood pressure, aneurysm size measured by ultrasonography, rate of aneurysm expansion, smoking, serum cholesterol levels, and cardiac, pulmonary, and renal risks, were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression to identify variables related to rupture. Aneurysm anteroposterior expansion rates varied from 0 to 1.5 cm/year but were not different in aneurysms that ruptured. Only diastolic blood pressure, initial aneurysm anteroposterior diameter, and degree of obstructive pulmonary disease were independently predictive of rupture (p less than 0.05, Wald test). With these data, actuarial rupture rates were predicted for patients with selected values of these three covariates. Predicted 5-year rupture rates varied from 2% when these risk factors were absent to 100% when all three risk factors were significant. Obstructive pulmonary disease, initial aneurysm size, and diastolic hypertension must be evaluated prospectively to assess their accuracy in predicting small aneurysm rupture.

Nonpenetrating subclavian artery injuries.

Nonpenetrating subclavian artery trauma, a potentially catastrophic injury, has been recognized more frequently with the liberal use of angiography in evaluating blunt cervicothoracic trauma. Six patients, five men and one woman, recently underwent surgical treatment at the University of Michigan Hospital for blunt injury of the subclavian artery. The diagnoses were established by arteriography. Physical findings, chest roentgenograms, and results of noninvasive vascular evaluation were found to be nonspecific or unreliable. Operative treatment with resection of the injured arterial segments and either primary anastomosis or bypass grafting resulted in restoration of distal, upper extremity blood flow in all of the cases. One patient died 20 days after trauma from a severe associated cerebral injury. Among the five survivors, residual soft tissue and neurologic injury compromised full recovery in three. Thus, only two of the six patients survived without sequelae, a fact that underscores the seriousness of this type of subclavian artery injury.

Brachiocephalic arterial occlusions and stenoses. Manifestations and management of complex lesions.

Complex stenotic and occlusive lesions involving multiple brachiocephalic arteries were encountered in 17 symptomatic patients, 25 to 76 years of age. Symptoms included hemispheric transient ischemic attacks (16), visual symptoms (ten), global cerebral ischemia (11), true syncope (six), upper extremity ischemic symptoms (eight), and frank tissue loss (one). Of 68 brachiocephalic arteries, 53 exhibited hemodynamically significant stenoses, including 21 that were totally occluded. Transthoracic surgical reconstruction consisted of bypass grafting (11), innominate artery endarterectomy (five), or proximal left common carotid endarterectomy with reimplantation into the contralateral carotid artery (one). There were no operative deaths and only one transient perioperative neurologic deficit. All patients had relief of symptoms. When multiple brachiocephalic arterial occlusions and stenoses preclude standard cervical reconstructive procedures, direct transthoracic reconstruction is appropriate and may be undertaken with acceptable risk in properly selected patients.

Reoperation for complications of renal artery reconstructive surgery undertaken for treatment of renovascular hypertension.

Seventy-two secondary operations for complications of prior renal artery reconstructive surgery were undertaken in 58 patients. This experience evolved from the management of 373 patients who underwent 425 primary operations for renovascular hypertension. Secondary operations were performed 10 times in pediatric patients following 42 primary procedures (24%); 44 times in adult fibrodysplastic patients following 199 initial operations (22%); and 18 times in atherosclerotic patients after 184 primary operations (10%). The overall reoperation rate was 15.5% (58 of 373 patients). Reoperation typically followed persistent or recurrent hypertension caused by graft thromboses, perianastomotic graft narrowing, or progressive nonanastomotic graft stenoses. Aneurysmal deterioration of vein grafts was an uncommon reason for reoperation. Secondary reconstructions included nephrectomy (31), bypass with vein grafts (15) or prosthetic grafts (8), angioplasty or reimplantation (12), thrombectomy (4), and operative dilation (2). Benefits regarding hypertension control were afforded 91% of these patients. One death occurred among the 72 reoperations, representing a 1.4% operative mortality rate. Reoperative renal artery reconstructive surgery for complications of renal revascularization may present formidable technical problems. Early diagnosis and prompt reoperation with exacting vascular surgical techniques are most likely to provide optimal results.

Effects of glucagon and prostacyclin in acute occlusive and postocclusive canine mesenteric ischemia.

Effects of glucagon and prostacyclin (PGI2) were studied in anesthetized dogs during sequential occlusive and postocclusive mesenteric ischemia induced by 90 min of tourniquet stenosis of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). After 30 min of SMA stenosis, glucagon (1 microgram/kg/min, n = 7), PGI2 (30 ng/kg/min, n = 7), or saline (1 ml/min, n = 3) was infused intravenously for 30 min, followed by 30 min of continued ischemia. SMA flow and distal SMA pressure ( SMAP ) decreased 76% with SMA stenosis (P less than 0.01). Ileal wall flow measured by radiolabeled microspheres decreased from 45 to 13 ml/min/100 g (P less than 0.01); mesenteric AV O2 difference ( AVDO2 ) increased from 5.1 to 10.1 ml/dl (P less than 0.01); and mesenteric O2 consumption (VO2) decreased by 48% (P less than 0.05). Glucagon infusion caused a further decrease in ileal wall flow, to 10 ml/min/100 g (P less than 0.05), and an increase in AVDO2 to 11 ml/dl (P less than 0.05), despite a 22% increase in cardiac output. PGI2 caused a similar decrease in ileal wall flow and an increase in AVDO2 , although these were not statistically significant. Saline infusion caused no change in measured variables. In the second phase of this study, SMA blood flow was restored by tourniquet release. After animals had stabilized for 30 min, a repeat 30-min drug infusion was studied. In this postocclusive period, persistent gut ischemia was indicated by a reduction in VO2 to 76% of original baseline, associated with a 50% decrease in both CO and SMAQ . Intravenous infusion of glucagon at this time increased SMAQ by 195% (P less than 0.05) and resulted in a return of VO2 to its original baseline level. PGI2 infusion caused a 21% increase in SMAQ and a 16% decrease in AVDO2 (NS), but had no significant effect on VO2. Glucagon was effective in the management of postocclusive mesenteric ischemia but appeared to have a detrimental effect on ileal blood flow in severe occlusive ischemia.

Pharmacologic interventions in acute mesenteric ischemia: improved survival with intravenous glucagon, methylprednisolone, and prostacyclin.

An experimental model of acute mesenteric ischemia following 85 minutes of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion in male Wistar rats was used in this investigation. Untreated control animals had a 48-hour survival rate of 38% (n = 26), whereas sham laparotomy resulted in a 100% 48-hour survival rate (n = 10). Study groups received intravenous infusions of normal saline solution (16.6 ml/kg/hr; n = 26) or similar volumes of normal saline solution with the addition of glucagon (1.6 micrograms/kg/min; n = 26), dopamine (3.2 micrograms/kg/min; n = 26), or prostacyclin (PGI2) (10.7 ng/kg/min; n = 26). Infusions were begun 15 minutes after initiating 85 minutes of SMA occlusion and were continued for a total of 90 minutes. Glucagon increased the 48-hour survival rate to 85%, significantly greater than both control survival (p less than 0.001) and normal saline solution group survival rates (p less than 0.025). Neither normal saline solution alone nor dopamine significantly increased the 48-hour survival rate, which was 54% in both groups. The PGI2 group survival rate, 65% at 48 hours, was significantly greater than the control rate (p less than 0.05), was not statistically different from the normal saline solution group survival rate, and was 20% less than the glucagon group survival rate, the latter difference approaching statistical significance (p = 0.10). Methylprednisolone (40 mg/kg; n = 26) administered as an intravenous bolus 15 minutes after initiating SMA occlusion significantly increased the 48-hour survival rate to 73% (p less than 0.01), whereas neither intravenous heparin (150 U/kg; n = 26) nor superoxide dismutase (11,900 U/kg; n = 26) were beneficial. Glucagon, methylprednisolone, and PGI2 improved the survival rate in this model of acute mesenteric ischemia.