Intestinal Ischemia
Overview-
Intestinal infarction (or intestinal ischemia) occurs when the blood vessels that flow bowel contract or become obstructed, reducing blood flow. Ischemia can affect the small intestine or the colon, or both. The reduction in blood flow can cause pain and bowel provide permanent injury. The acute intestinal ischemia, i.e. the sudden interruption of the direct circulation to the intestine, it is an emergency and requires immediate surgery; as chronic, which manifests itself in time, but must be treated because it can turn into acute or cause severe weight loss and malnutrition.
Causes-
Causes of Intestinal Ischemia includes-
• A blood clot that blocks one of the arteries supplying the small intestine. Blood clots
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Often obstructions are caused by atherosclerosis, i.e. the accumulation of fat on the arterial walls. The blockade of one of the intestinal arteries often cause chronic mesenteric ischemia who later becomes acute.
• Hypotension caused by shock, heart failure, use of certain medications or chronic renal failure. Hypotension can decrease the flow of blood to the small intestine. This is mainly due to spread in patients with other serious diseases, or atherosclerosis. This type of acute mesenteric ischemia is often called non-occlusive ischemia.
Symptoms-
• Sudden pain in the abdomen , the media or even very strong intensity
• urgent need to defecate
• Frequent and uncontrollable bouts of diarrhoea
• painful or swollen abdomen
• Presence of blood in the
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After the first visit, the family doctor will prescribe a specialist examination by a gastroenterologist (doctor who specializes in treating digestive disorders) or by a vascular surgeon (doctor who specializes in the treatment of circulatory disorders).
• Endoscopy, to directly see the upper part of the intestine. Endoscopy sometimes serves your doctor to rule out other diseases that could cause digestive problems.
• Colonoscopy, to directly see the colon.
• Exploratory surgery to identify and remove damaged tissue. Exploratory surgery allows to perform diagnosis and therapy in the course of a single action.
Treatment-
The Intestinal infarction can heal spontaneously without treatment, but your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat or prevent infections. The doctor also can cure any upstream diseases, such as congestive heart failure or arrhythmia. The patient will probably have to stop taking the vasoconstrictor, such as migraine medications, hormones and certain kinds of heart medicines.
If the colon presents injuries, you have to undergo surgery to remove them or to eliminate intestinal artery