Diffuse Colonic Infarction due to Multiple Mesenteric Embolism

ABSTRACT

Acute mesenteric ischemia and infarction is emergent situation associated with high mortality, arising from sudden loss of blood supply to mesenteric vessels. Most of all, the patients has cardiovascular insufficiency such as arrhythmia, recent myocardial infarction or valvular heart diseases. Acute abdominal pain is a main symptom and abdominal distension, rigidity, nausea and/or vomiting, and diarrhea are frequently observed. Delayed diagnosis and management are usually due to the nonspecific symptom and sign and lack of accurate diagnostic modality. A patient with acute abdominal pain having a history of cardiovascular disorders should be meticulously evaluated considering to exclude mesenteric vascular emergency. This dismal disease is mostly segmental ischemia of small bowel or colon due to occlusion of one mesenteric vessel, but occasionally multiple occlusions is are possible. We report a 67 years old female patient with diffuse colonic infarction due to multiple mesenteric embolism with review of literatures.