Ligation as Definitive Management of Injury to the Superior Mesenteric Vein

Abstract

Ligation of the injured superior mesenteric vein in patients with multisystem trauma has been regarded as a hazardous procedure with a narrow spectrum of indications. We present three patients who underwent ligation of their superior mesenteric veins. A collective review of 33 superior mesenteric vein ligations and 75 superior mesenteric venorrhaphies indicated that ligation of this vein is indeed a valid option when a simple repair cannot easily be performed.