Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-s9k8s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-06T05:24:41.689Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

39 - Acute mesenteric ischemia

from Section 6 - Gastrointestinal emergencies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2013

Kaushal Shah
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York
Jarone Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
Kamal Medlej
Affiliation:
American University of Beirut
Scott D. Weingart
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York
Get access

Summary

This chapter discusses the diagnosis, evaluation and management of acute mesenteric ischemia. The diagnosis should be considered in those older than 50 years, presenting with nonspecific abdominal pain and risk factors for the disease. The physician must have a high index of suspicion as the history of the disease may be difficult to obtain. The chapter lists clinical presentations of the subtypes of mesenteric ischemia. Emergent laparotomy is indicated, especially if signs of peritonitis are present. Surgery is generally the standard of care for mesenteric arterial embolism and thrombosis. Surgery is done to determine the extent of damage, to find the underlying cause, to revascularize viable bowel, and to resect infarcted bowel. Second-look procedures are often performed 24-48 hours after the initial surgery in order to restore continuity and assess extension of ischemia to ensure that at-risk or ischemic bowel is not used for the final anastomosis.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×