Abdominal angina in occlusive mesenteric vascular disease: a case report

Abstract

IntroductionAbdominal angina is a descriptive term for abdominal pain that can occur postprandially in patients with occlusive mesenteric vascular disease due to insufficient increase in blood flow.Case presentationIn this case a 60-year-old Caucasian woman with a 2 year history of abdominal angina presented to hospital for elective mesenteric revascularization surgery. Postoperative recovery was complicated by graft occlusion resulting in hepatic ischemia as well as splenic and small bowel infarction.ConclusionThis case highlights the importance of keeping this differential diagnosis in mind when dealing with patients who have a long history of abdominal pain and discusses some of the complications that may occur after surgical treatment.

Mesenteric angina successfully treated by percutaneous angioplasty

“…Mesenteric angina is the clinical expression of chronic ischemia of small intestine, aggravated in postprandial period, due to increased intestinal blood flow requirements [1] . Typically, the clinical form of mesenteric angina combines: early postprandial abdominal pain, difficult to characterize, diffuse, lasting one to three hours [ 2 , 3 ]. Sometimes known as "mesenteric claudication".…”

“…The CT angiography makes the diagnosis by showing the arterial lesions of the various digestive trunks. It assesses the degree of thrombo-stenosis, the importance of collateral circulation and allows other causes of vascular obstruction to be excluded [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. In addition it allows a good analysis of digestive loops.…”