Ischemic Colitis

Ischemic Colitis
(Gastroenterology 2000;118:951-53 & 954-68)
DEFINITION:
  • The most common form of intestinal ischemic injury
EPIDEMIOLOGY:
  • Most are older than 60; The incidence is underestimated because many suffer only mild or transient damage and don’t seek medical attention
ETIOLOGIES:
  • Usually a non-occlusive low-flow state or thrombosis of IMA; Often times there is a low cardiac output ± high doses of vasoconstrictors
    • Risk factors: post-op valve surgery, hemodialysis with hypotensive episodes
    • Often no recognizable cause
  • Can result from alterations in systemic circulation or anatomic or functional changes in the local mesenteric vasculature
    • Risk factors: older age, vasculitidies, sickle cell, cocaine use, infection, long distance runners; Rarely embolus, hypercoagulable states
  • DDX: perforated viscus, small bowel obstruction, cecal volvulus, incarcerated hernia, dissecting aortic aneurysm, pancreatitis/cholecystitis
    • Often confused with IBD or gastrointestinal infections (CMV, E. coli, C. difficile)
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Aug 24, 2016 | Posted by in GASTROENTEROLOGY | Comments Off on Ischemic Colitis

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