To discuss the clinical classification and significance of the superior mesenteric artery embolus.

The clinical data of fifty-two patients with superior mesenteric artery embolus admitted to the Third Hospital of PLA were collected. They were divided into the central type and the non-central type based on surgical operation, digital subtraction angiography and CT angiography of embolus, to compare the incidence of mortality and short bowel syndrome.

The bowel necrosis of patients with superior mesenteric artery embolus had nothing to do with age, gender, gastrointestinal symptoms, while was associated with course of disease, cerebro cardiovascular complication, and the location of embolus (χ²=13.658, 10.833, 13.257, P=0.000 2, 0.001 0, 0.000 3). The mortality rate of the central type was significantly higher than the non-central type, the difference was statistically significant (χ²=12.594, P=0.000 4). The incidence of short bowel syndrome of the central type was higher than the non-central type, with statistically significant difference (χ²=8.259, P=0.004 1).

For cerebro cardiovascular patients, superior mesenteric artery embolus needs early diagnosing (≤6 h) and treatment, when there is acute abdominal pain. The superior mesenteric artery embolus classification of central type and non-central type is helpful for judging the severity and prognosis of the disease, and can help develop a reasonable treatment plan.