Intestinal necrosis; Ischemic bowel; Dead bowel; Dead gut
Intestinal ischemia and infarction is damage to (ischemia) or
death of (infarction) part of the intestine due to a decrease in
its blood supply. There are several possible causes of
intestinal ischemia and infarction. Hernia: If the intestine
moves into the wrong place or becomes tangled, this can lead to
intestinal ischemia. Adhesions: The intestine may become trapped
in scar tissue from past surgery (adhesions). This can lead to
ischemia if left untreated. Embolus: A blood clot from the heart
or main blood vessels may travel through the bloodstream and
block one of the arteries supplying the intestine. Patients with
previous heart attacks or with arrhythmias, such as atrial
fibrillation, are at risk for this problem. Arterial thrombosis:
The arteries that supply blood to the intestine may become so
narrowed from atherosclerotic disease (cholesterol buildup) that
they become blocked. When this happens in the arteries to the
heart, it causes a heart at