Ischemia
The word "ischemia" () is from Greek ἴσχαιμος "iskhaimos", "staunching blood" from ἴσχω "iskhο", "keep back, restrain" and αἷμα "haima", "blood".
Ischemic colitis
In addition, ischemic colitis is a well-recognized complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, when the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery is covered by the aortic graft. In a 1991 review concerning 2137 patients the accidental inferior mesenteric artery ligation was the most common cause (74%) of ischemic colitis. Thus, patients without adequate collateralization are at risk for ischemia of the descending and sigmoid colon. Bloody diarrhea and leukocytosis in the postoperative period are essentially diagnostic of ischemic colitis. The complication can be prevented through careful selection of subjects that may require replanting inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and completing the pre surgical procedure information with an instrumental evaluation during surgical treatment.