Mesenteric Ischemia Specialist

Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions

Martin Carignan, MD

Vascular and Endovascular Surgery & General Surgery located in Huntersville, NC & Mooresville, NC

Fatty plaque is usually associated with heart and leg problems, but plaque can build up in any artery. When it affects the arteries supplying your small intestine, you have mesenteric ischemia. At Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions, Martin Carignan, MD, specializes in mesenteric ischemia caused by plaque or blood clots, using a range of treatments that restore normal circulation. If you develop ongoing abdominal pain, call the office in Huntersville, North Carolina, or book an appointment online today.

Mesenteric Ischemia Q & A

What is mesenteric ischemia?

Mesenteric ischemia occurs when blood flow to the small intestine decreases because the arteries that supply oxygenated blood are blocked or narrowed. A similar problem called ischemic colitis can develop in the large intestine.

Mesenteric ischemia is divided into three types:

Acute mesenteric ischemia

Acute mesenteric ischemia develops suddenly when fatty plaque (atherosclerosis) or a blood clot blocks an artery serving the small intestine. Conditions such as heart failure or kidney disease may also restrict blood flow.

Chronic mesenteric ischemia

Chronic mesenteric ischemia has one cause: atherosclerosis. Since atherosclerosis develops gradually, you probably won’t have symptoms until one or more of the major arteries supplying the intestine become severely blocked.

Mesenteric venous thrombosis

This type varies from the others. Instead of losing incoming oxygenated blood, mesenteric venous thrombosis develops when there’s a blockage in the veins that carry deoxygenated blood away from the intestine. As a result, blood backs up and disrupts the normal flow of oxygen-rich blood.

Health conditions that cause mesenteric venous thrombosis include pancreatitis, digestive system cancers, inflammatory bowel diseases, and abdominal injuries.

What symptoms develop if I have mesenteric ischemia?

When your symptoms appear suddenly, you may experience:

Abdominal pain
Urgent need to have a bowel movement
Frequent forceful bowel movements
Abdominal tenderness
Abdominal distention (bloating)
Blood in your stool
Diarrhea

If you have chronic mesenteric ischemia, the abdominal pain gets worse over time, and you’re more likely to have cramping and pain shortly after eating. As a result, many patients reduce the amount of food they eat and unintentionally lose weight.

How is mesenteric ischemia treated?

The overriding goal is to restore normal circulation as quickly as possible. Severe complications develop when intestinal tissues don’t get enough oxygen. You may develop an infection that can spread throughout your body (sepsis), permanent damage to your small intestine, or tissue death.

Your treatment targets the underlying cause of mesenteric ischemia. As a vascular specialist, your provider at Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions treats cases caused by atherosclerosis and blood clots.

You may need minimally invasive surgery like angioplasty to eliminate plaque, medication to dissolve a blood clot, or open surgery to bypass the damaged area.

If you have sudden or ongoing abdominal pain, call Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions, or book an appointment online today.

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