Bowel Infarction: Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms and Treatment

An intestinal infarction is a condition in which the circulation in the vessels of the intestine 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 is this happening?

But not only a blood clot can clog the 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 diseases of the heart 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.

An intestinal infarction 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, can be clogged with blood clots present in the blood. Some people have a predisposition to this condition, so they are at risk.

Kinds

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

- Arterial obstruction.

- Venous.

- Mixed intestinal obstruction.

The main causes of myocardial 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;

- paresis of vessels;

- 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, and away from the intestines and other internal organs. This causes a narrowing of the lumen of the vessels, which can provoke the appearance of thrombi;

- severe loss of blood;

- 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 taking oral contraceptives should definitely stop smoking if she smokes.

Additional factors

In some cases, small bowel infarction develops because of:

- sepsis;

- endocarditis;

- hypertension;

- Thrombophlebitis.

After surgery, such a situation is possible, since the body forces are directed 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.

Methods of diagnosis

Diagnose an unpleasant and dangerous disease with the help of instrumental and laboratory methods of research. 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 thrombus formation.

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

- with the help of 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 the help of 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 violations 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 carried out 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 we allow the development of mesenteric thrombosis, then this will lead to a fatal outcome. Therefore, it is so important to seek help on time. Specialists 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 also it may have certain precursors.

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

Pallor of the skin;

- Strong and irregular heartbeat;

- elevated body temperature;

- a chair with blood (in some cases, the blood of a dark color, indicating that it is old - it is rejected 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;

- it is difficult to remove gases and feces.

If the ailment develops gradually, the symptoms do not appear so bright at first. Harbinger pains in the abdomen, swelling, frequent diarrhea can be harbingers. But so often the intestine hurts (illnesses and symptoms must be known in order 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. It is characterized by severe pain in the abdominal region. Its duration is about 5-6 hours. Painful sensations at the first stage resemble fights, then become permanent. It hurts mainly in the area near the navel, because the small intestine is affected . There is a pain of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
• 2nd stage. If the patient is not helped in time, the ailment progresses. Necrosis of the intestine comes. The patient's state of health worsens, there is a strong pallor of the skin. But the pain is weakening. The patient's tongue is 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, in case of any suspicion of a possible infarction of the intestine, an ambulance must be called forth immediately.

Recommendations

With 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 ailment we considered earlier.

Treatment of mesenteric thrombosis

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

Stages of surgical intervention

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

- Then select the mesentery and the area of the intestine that is affected.

- Remove dead and diseased tissue.

- Remove thrombus.

The faster and more accurate the actions of doctors, the more tissue 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 missed. As a result, surgical intervention can not be avoided.

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

The illness can turn into 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 a young man 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 need to worry. It is necessary to donate blood for analysis periodically to reveal the onset of increased thrombus formation. 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, 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.

Preventive measures

All actions aimed at preventing 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:

- adherence to a healthy lifestyle;

- Carrying out procedures for tempering the body, which strengthens the vessels well;

- You need to move as much as possible, to 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 need to take drugs to restore the intestinal microflora.

If you comply with all recommendations, hazards can be avoided.