Mesentric ischemia
Mesenteric arteries supply blood to the small and large intestines. Ischemia occurs when blood cannot flow through arteries and the intestines do not receive the necessary oxygen for digestion. Mesenteric ischemia usually involves the small intestine. Mesenteric ischemia usually occurs when one or more of those arteries narrows or becomes blocked. When this blockage occurs, severe abdominal pain is experienced. The blockage may worsen and cause intestinal tissues die because they lack enough blood flow. Mesenteric ischemia can be either chronic or acute. Chronic means that the condition and symptoms are experienced over a relatively long period of time, often with weight loss. Acute means that the symptoms start abruptly and can become very serious in a short period of time. Chronic mesenteric ischemia can progress without warning to acute mesenteric ischemia. . Treatment for chronic mesenteric ischemia may include: Angioplasty and stenting Bypass surgery Trans-aortic endarterectomy
