Intestinal Infarction: Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms and Treatment

An intestinal infarction is a condition in which blood circulation in the intestinal vessels is disturbed. The vessels are clogged with blood clots, as a result of which blood does not flow to certain departments. This leads to the death of cells, or acute necrosis. An intestinal infarction is a very dangerous disease.

Why does this happen?

But not only a clot can clog a vessel. Sclerotic plaque, which broke away, it is also possible. Therefore, obesity is another risk factor. It is interesting that men and women fall ill equally.

This occurs most often in the small intestine and its immediate areas. Often this happens when there is a disease of the cardiovascular system, and it is progressing. Consider this article intestinal infarction. Symptoms - the first signs of this disease - will be described.

What heart diseases lead to a thrombosis in the intestine?

It happens in the elderly, whose age is more than 50 years. It is extremely rare at a young age. But if there are certain diseases, which will be discussed later, it is possible that a not very elderly person will face such a disease.

Infarction of the intestine is also called mesenteric thrombosis or mesenteric obstruction. There is a reflex spasm of the intestine, this leads to a narrowing of the vessels. Vessels, in turn, may be clogged with blood clots present in the blood. Some people have a predisposition to this condition, so they are at risk.

Types of

There are several types of mesenteric obstruction. They depend on the affected vessel:

- Arterial obstruction.

- Venous.

- Mixed intestinal obstruction.

The main causes of bowel infarction

In this connection, can there be an infarction of the intestine? The reasons are often obvious.

Mesenteric thrombosis occurs as a result of:

- developing rheumatism;

- atherosclerosis, which leads to narrowing of the vessels;

- vascular paresis;

- acute and chronic cardiovascular insufficiency;

- a strong shock, as a result of which the blood flow is disturbed. Blood in a large volume comes to the heart and brain, but from the intestine and other internal organs departs. This causes a narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, which can provoke the appearance of blood clots;

- severe blood loss;

- heart disease;

- myocardial infarction;

- atrial fibrillation;

- infectious endocarditis.

Sometimes there can be several reasons at the same time.

Most often, people with severe cardiac pathologies suffer from this ailment. Sometimes the disease develops as a result of the occurrence of postpartum thrombosis. And also at risk are women who take hormonal contraceptives for a long time. Therefore, you can drink medicines only under the supervision of a doctor, you need to do this with great care. A woman who takes oral contraceptives should definitely stop smoking if she smokes.

Additional factors

In some cases, small bowel infarction develops due to:

- sepsis;

- endocarditis;

- hypertension;

- thrombophlebitis.

After surgical intervention, this situation is possible, since the body's strengths are aimed at preventing blood loss as a result of the bleeding that has opened. It is during this period that blood clots often form after the operation, which can clog the blood vessels. Sometimes it suffers from the intestines. Diseases and symptoms often go unheeded, which leads to severe consequences.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnose an unpleasant and dangerous disease with the help of instrumental and laboratory research methods. It is necessary to turn to specialists on time and undergo a complete examination of the whole organism. This will help determine the early stage of the disease. The measures will be taken, as a result of which it will be possible to avoid thrombosis.

Mesenteric thrombosis and predisposition to it are diagnosed in several ways:

- with diagnostic laparoscopy. In this case, several small holes are made in the abdominal cavity. Then an optical device penetrates into these holes, so the walls of the intestine are inspected. Thus, intestinal infarction can be avoided. This method of diagnosis is very informative, but apply it with obvious signs of the development of the disease in order to prevent a pathological condition;

- clinical blood analysis( about inflammation in the body says indicators of leukocytes and ESR, which are above the norm);

- with diagnostic laparotomy. A cut is made in the middle of the abdominal cavity, the examination is performed through it. Determine the state of the vessels, as well as the loops of the intestine. If a patch with dead cells is found, it is immediately removed;

- with selective mesentericography, which reveals any disorders in the circulation;

- during angiography of vessels - the procedure for staining the blood with a special substance is performed, then a picture is taken, which shows the state of the mesenteric vessels of the intestine.

It is important to understand that laparotomy, laparoscopy, angiography of vessels is performed only if there are all signs that acute thrombosis of mesenteric vessels will soon develop. If these symptoms are not yet available, then a clinical blood test will be sufficient.

If you allow the development of mesenteric thrombosis, it will lead to death. Therefore, it is so important to seek help on time. Experts will conduct a laparotomy and remove the deadened area, which will save the patient's life.

Other methods of research are used in cases where there is no risk to life.

What are the signs of an intestinal infarction?

The disease can begin acutely, gradually, and it can also have certain precursors.

If you manage to recognize the disease in time, you will be able to save human life. Consider in more detail the main symptoms of mesenteric thrombosis:

- pallor of the skin;

- strong and irregular heartbeat;

- increased body temperature;

- stool with blood( in some cases, the blood is dark, which indicates that it is old - this is torn off the necrotic mucosa);

- the stomach is swollen;

- the appearance of compaction in the abdomen;

- severe pain in the abdominal cavity;

- vomiting with blood;

- blood pressure jumps;

- fainting;

- gas and feces waste is difficult.

If the ailment develops gradually, the symptoms do not appear so bright at first. Harbinger pains in the abdomen, bloating, frequent diarrhea can be harbingers. But so often the intestine hurts( illnesses and symptoms need to be known to be able to distinguish them).

It is necessary to distinguish infarction in the intestine from other acute surgical diseases, for example:

- from acute appendicitis( pain localizes on the right, nausea and vomiting present);

- intestinal infection or toxic poisoning( stool, vomiting);

- gastric or intestinal bleeding( vomit, in which there is blood, feces with blood).

Three stages of intestinal infarction

There are several stages of the disease:

• 1st stage. This stage is called ischemic. Characterized by severe pain in the abdominal region. Its duration is about 5-6 hours. Painful sensations at the first stage resemble fights, then they become permanent. It hurts mainly in the area near the navel, because the small intestine is affected. Pain is accompanied by diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
• 2nd stage. If the patient is not helped in time, the ailment progresses. Necrosis of the intestine is coming. The patient's state of health worsens, there is a strong pallor of the skin. But the pain is weakening. The patient's tongue becomes covered with bloom. The abdomen becomes soft, but swollen.
• 3rd stage. A person suffers from severe intoxication, dehydration. There is apathy to others, convulsions, coma. At this stage, a person may die.

Therefore, if there is any suspicion of a possible infarction of the intestine, you must immediately call an ambulance.

Recommendations

For pain in the abdomen, consult a surgeon. As a result of the consultation, this or that examination can be appointed.

Perhaps it is an infarction of the intestine. What is it and the consequences of this illness we considered earlier.

Treatment of mesenteric thrombosis

Intestinal infarction therapy should be timely and extremely fast. As already mentioned, from the onset of the ischemic stage only a few hours will pass, and it will be very difficult to save a person. Therefore, when the first signs of mesenteric thrombosis appear, medical care should be requested immediately.

But there are times when an operation is carried out, but a person dies anyway. This means that there was a rapid development of necrosis. The human body has suffered greatly from this, the damage to internal organs is incompatible with life. So often the diseases of the elderly are manifested.

Stages of surgical intervention

- First of all, it is necessary to find a thrombus, which corked the vessel.

- Then select the mesentery and the intestinal tract that is affected.

- Remove dead and diseased tissue.

- Remove thrombus.

The faster and more accurate the actions of doctors, the greater the tissue site will be preserved. This increases the patient's chances of surviving.

In those cases, when incomplete occlusion of the vessel occurred, drug therapy is performed. Namely, drugs, anticoagulants, which are able to thin the blood. Further blockage of the vessel does not occur. But with incomplete occlusion of the vessel, there are no special signs of an ailment, so this stage is often overlooked. As a result, surgical intervention can not be avoided.

In this condition, there is a high risk of death.

The disease can result in the following outcomes. The patient can recover after the operation, ulcers may form in the intestine, inflammatory processes in the intestine will arise, bleeding will open, the perforation of the intestinal wall may form, and it can purulently inflame, which is fraught with peritonitis. That's how insidious is the intestinal infarction. Symptoms should be recognized in a timely manner.

What is the prognosis for intestinal infarction?

It is important to understand that mortality is high in this disease. It is higher than with a perforated ulcer and acute appendicitis. Since intestinal thrombosis often resembles other diseases that need to be treated surgically, it is difficult to diagnose. The consequences of this can be irreversible.

A healthy and young person should not be tested for existing mesenteric thrombosis. But those who fall into a certain risk group, should be examined on a regular basis. This will help to identify the pathology as early as possible. Those who have a sick heart or bad blood vessels should be worried. It is necessary to donate blood for analysis periodically to reveal the onset of increased thrombosis. Anticoagulants will ensure the dilution of blood, resulting in blood clots do not appear.

To avoid a recurrence of the situation, you should regularly take tests and take medications( dilating blood vessels that prevent thrombosis, regulating blood clotting).If you do not take any action, a severe intestinal infarction will develop, which is fatal.

But if the operation is carried out in a timely manner, the stage is early, the success is assured. There will be no complications. Of course, the location of the thrombus determines the possible consequences. The patient is likely to recover completely after the operation. Especially if you take drugs to restore the intestinal microflora.

Preventative measures

All actions aimed at the prevention of intestinal thrombosis are similar to those that occur with myocardial infarction. First of all, it is necessary to prevent increased blood clotting. In general, the recommendations are as follows:

- compliance with a healthy lifestyle;

- carrying out of procedures of hardening of an organism that well strengthens vessels;

- you need to move as much as possible, engage in physical education( running, swimming, active outdoor games);

- adjust the food - refuse from fatty, fried, floury, it is better to eat less meat and fish, more vegetables and fruits;

- it is necessary to bring the weight back to normal;

- rejection of all existing bad habits - smoking especially detrimental to the condition of blood vessels, it also provokes the formation of blood clots;

- well, you have to take drugs to restore the intestinal microflora.

If you follow all the recommendations, hazards can be avoided.