We confirmed the anatomic feasibility of using a pedicled deep inferior epigastric artery to revascularize the mesenteric circulation by studying human and dog cadavers. We evaluated the physiologic efficacy using three large (>50lbs) female dogs as an animal model for acute mesenteric ischemia. We divided the deep inferior epigastric artery and caudal rectus abdominis muscle in each dog. After the muscle was transposed into the peritoneal cavity on its superiorly-based vascular pedicle, the deep inferior epigastric artery was anastomosed to the middle colic artery. Intraoperative ultrasonic bloodflow measurements were taken. Two weeks later, repeat laparotomy allowed SMA ligation at its origin which is normally lethal within 24 hours. Our dogs survived between three days and five months. Angiography confirmed complete ligation of the SMA but did not demonstrate the epigastric artery bypass. This was likely due to equipment and technique limitations. No abdominal wall hernia or intestinal volvulus was present at autopsy. This pilot study demonstrates the anatomic feasibility in humans and physiologic efficacy in dogs, of a superiorly-based transperitoneal deep inferior epigastric artery bypass for mesenteric revascularization. Our results suggest that this bypass may prove to be a viable, less invasive treatment option for chronic mesenteric ischemia.