Mesenteric ischemia history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
History
Three progressive phases of ischemic colitis have been described:[1][2]
- A hyperactive phase occurs first, in which the primary symptoms are severe abdominal pain and the passage of bloody stools. Many patients get better and do not progress beyond this phase.
- A paralytic phase can follow if ischemia continues; in this phase, the abdominal pain becomes more widespread, the belly becomes more tender to the touch, and bowel motility decreases, resulting in abdominal bloating, no further bloody stools, and absent bowel sounds on exam.
- Finally, a shock phase can develop as fluids start to leak through the damaged colon lining. This can result in shock and metabolic acidosis with dehydration, low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and confusion. Patients who progress to this phase are often critically ill and require intensive care.
Symptoms
Symptoms of mesenteric ischemia vary and can be acute (especially if embolic)[3], subacute, or chronic[4].
Case series report prevalence of clinical findings and provide the best available, yet biased, estimate of the sensitivity of clinical findings[5][6]. In a series of 58 patients with mesenteric ischemia due to mixed causes[6]:
- abdominal pain was present in 95% (median of 24 hours duration). The other three patients presented with shock and metabolic acidosis.
- nausea in 44%
- vomiting in 35%
- diarrhea in 35%
- heart rate > 100 in 33%
- 'blood per rectum' in 16% (not stated if this number also included occult blood - presumably not)
- constipation 7%
In the absence of adequate quantitative studies to guide diagnosis, various heuristics help guide diagnosis:
- Mesenteric ischemia "should be suspected when individuals, especially those at high risk for acute mesenteric ischemia, develop severe and persisting abdominal pain that is disproportionate to their abdominal findings"[7]
- Regarding mesenteric arterial thrombosis or embolism: "...early symptoms are present and are relative mild in 50% of cases for three to four days before medical attention is sought"[8].
- Regarding mesenteric arterial thrombosis or embolism: "Any patient with an arrhythmia such as auricular fibrillation who complains of abdominal pain is hghly suspected of having embolization to the superior mesenteric artery until proved otherwise"[8].
- Regarding nonocclusive intestinal ischemia: "Any patient who takes digitalis and diuretics and who complains of abdominal pain must be considered to have nonocclusive ischemia until proved otherwise"[8].
References
- ↑ Boley, SJ, Brandt, LJ, Veith, FJ. Ischemic disorders of the intestines. Curr Probl Surg 1978; 15:1.
- ↑ Hunter G, Guernsey J (1988). "Mesenteric ischemia". Med Clin North Am. 72 (5): 1091–115. PMID 3045452.
- ↑ Oldenburg WA, Lau LL, Rodenberg TJ, Edmonds HJ, Burger CD (2004). "Acute mesenteric ischemia: a clinical review". Arch. Intern. Med. 164 (10): 1054–62. doi:10.1001/archinte.164.10.1054. PMID 15159262.
- ↑ Font VE, Hermann RE, Longworth DL (1989). "Chronic mesenteric venous thrombosis: difficult diagnosis and therapy". Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine. 56 (8): 823–8. PMID 2691119.
- ↑ Levy PJ, Krausz MM, Manny J (1990). "Acute mesenteric ischemia: improved results--a retrospective analysis of ninety-two patients". Surgery. 107 (4): 372–80. PMID 2321134.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Park WM, Gloviczki P, Cherry KJ, Hallett JW, Bower TC, Panneton JM, Schleck C, Ilstrup D, Harmsen WS, Noel AA (2002). "Contemporary management of acute mesenteric ischemia: Factors associated with survival". J. Vasc. Surg. 35 (3): 445–52. doi:10.1067/mva.2002.120373. PMID 11877691.
- ↑ .
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen by Zachary Cope and William Silen (2005) - Oxford University Press, USA ISBN 019517545X