Mesenteric venous thrombosis (MVT) is a rare but potentially lethal form of mesenteric ischemia. The presentation may vary from an entirely asymptomatic clinical scenario to intestinal infarction and shock. It was first described by Elliot <sup>9 Elliot J.W. The operative relief of gangrene of intestine due to occlusion of the mesenteric vessels Ann Surg 1895 ;  21 : 9  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> in 1895 as “thrombosis of the porto-mesenteric venous system,” which disallowed venous drainage from the gut leading to bowel infarction. Warren and Eberhard <sup>29 Warren S., Eberhard T.P. Mesenteric venous thrombosis Surg Gynecol Obstet 1935 ;  61 : 102

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> in 1935 characterized MVT as a distinct clinical entity and emphasized its lethality. These authors reported a 34% mortality rate following intestinal resection for venous thrombosis. Fortunately, it comprises only 5% to 15% of all reported acute mesenteric ischemia cases in the modern literature.<sup>16 Kairaluoma M.I., Karkola P., Heikkinen E. , e al. Mesenteric infarction Am J Surg 1977 ;  133 : 188  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 22 Ottinger L.W., Austen W.G. A study of 136 patients with mesenteric infarction Surg Gynecol Obstet 1967 ;  124 : 251

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> In a review by Abdu et al, <sup>1 Abdu R., Zakhour B.J., Dallis D.J. Mesenteric venous thrombosis—1911 to 1984 Surgery 1987 ;  101 : 383

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> only 372 patients with MVT were identified in the literature from 1911 to 1984. In the Mayo Clinic series, only 72 patients with MVT were identified from 1972 to 1993.<sup>24 Rhee R.Y., Gloviczki P., Mendonca C.T. , e al. Mesenteric venous thrombosis: Still a lethal disease in the 1990s J Vasc Surg 1994 ;  20 : 688  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> This group comprised 6.2% of the 1167 patients treated for mesenteric ischemia at the institution during the 22-year study period. Ottinger and Austen <sup>22 Ottinger L.W., Austen W.G. A study of 136 patients with mesenteric infarction Surg Gynecol Obstet 1967 ;  124 : 251

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> found that MVT comprised only 0.006% of hospital admissions and less than 2% of autopsy cases. Kazmers <sup>17 Kazmers A. Intestinal ischemia caused by venous thrombosis Vascular Surgery Philadelphia: WB Saunders (1995). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> estimated that intestinal infarction due to MVT is encountered in less than 1 in 1000 laparotomies for acute abdomen.

Patients with MVT can be classified into acute and chronic presentations for treatment purposes. Acute MVT is defined as the process that exists in those patients with presenting symptoms of less than 4 weeks' duration. Those with symptoms greater than 4 weeks' duration, but without bowel infarction, or those with MVT diagnosed as incidental and clinically insignificant findings on abdominal imaging can be classified as having chronic MVT.