A novel approach for percutaneous treatment of massive nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia: tolazoline and glycerol trinitrate as effective local vasodilators

Abstract

Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) generally affects patients with low cardiac output, resulting in splanchnic hypoperfusion. It includes all forms of mesenteric ischemia without vessel occlusion and makes up between 20 and 30% of all cases of acute mesenteric ischemia. We present the case of a 84-year-old man with a history of total atrioventricular block developing NOMI. This was diagnosed by percutaneous selective catheter arteriography (PSCA), which demonstrated remarkable abrupt termination of the jejunal vasculature and multiple severe spasms of the colonic arteries. Control PSCA after local intraarterial vasodilator therapy (LIVT) with tolazoline and glycerol trinitrate documented an excellent therapeutic result with a completely unremarkable vasculature. Although LIVT was complicated by severe cardiovascular complications inclusive of cardiac arrest with the need of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the patient fully recovered and was discharged after implantation of a cardiac pacemaker in good clinical condition 7 days later.