Thrombosis of the intestines: causes, symptoms, treatment

People of advanced age very often have to face such a disease as intestinal thrombosis. The further their condition directly depends on how quickly they get to the hospital and the doctor will prescribe individual treatment. In order not to miss the precious time, everyone should know about the primary symptoms of this ailment and then take all the necessary measures.

What should I know about the disease?

Blood, as is known, has the property of coagulating. In medicine, this process is called coagulation. This is a very important function, without which any person after losing wounds would lose all blood and, accordingly, die. On the other hand, coagulation contributes over time to the formation of clots, which are otherwise referred to as thrombi. According to experts, they can be formed absolutely in any part of the body. For example, getting into the artery of the intestine, thrombi consistently clog its lumen, thereby preventing the normal feeding of a certain area of the organ. As a consequence, necrosis of tissues in the gut is observed. This disease is called thrombosis (mesenteric) of the intestine. In particularly serious cases, it can lead to death.

Mesenteric thrombosis of the intestine is a disease that occurs as a result of impaired patency of the superior, celiac or inferior mesenteric artery. This pathology often causes changes in blood circulation in the organs of the digestive tract. According to experts, this ailment is equally common among women and men, but it is especially common among the elderly.

Etiology

Unfortunately, today absolutely no one is immune from this disease. However, doctors call a number of predisposing factors, which mainly and provoke the development of a pathology such as intestinal thrombosis. The reasons can be as follows:

• Atherosclerosis (vascular disease, characterized by successive formation of plaques, with the break which form clots).
• Myocardial infarction.
• Hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Thrombophlebitis (inflammatory process, localized in the veins on the legs and accompanied by stagnation of blood).
• Endocarditis (inflammation of the inner shell of the heart, contributing to the appearance of blood clots).
• Sepsis (infection of the blood).
• Rheumatism (a disease affecting the connective tissue, which leads to the development of heart disease).
• Postpartum thrombosis.

Often, for example, thrombosis of the small intestine develops immediately after surgical manipulation on other organs. However, in this case, the patient has more chances of survival, since for some time after the operation he is under close monitoring by the doctors. In such situations, the specialist immediately decides on treatment. An anticoagulant or any other drug that thins a thrombus is injected.

Primary clinical signs

Experts argue that at the initial stages of development it is very difficult to diagnose intestinal thrombosis. Symptoms that are listed below, always act as an alarm bell and should alert everyone.

• Sudden pain in the abdomen, which occurs immediately after another meal.
• Blanching of the skin, dry mouth, sweating.
• Nausea and vomiting, stool (constipation or diarrhea).
• Flatulence.
• Low pressure.
• The presence of spotting in the feces.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, it is recommended that you seek medical help immediately. The sooner the treatment begins, the better the chances of a successful recovery. Otherwise, the likelihood of complications is very high. After the thrombus blocks the lumen in the intestine, there is a violation of blood circulation in this area. As a consequence, there is an infarction of the intestine (a spasm provoking tissue necrosis). As a result, peritonitis develops or large internal bleeding occurs in the peritoneum. In the absence of timely qualified care, the likelihood of a fatal outcome is very high.

The main stages of the disease

Experts conditionally divide the thrombosis of the intestine into three stages of development:

1. Ischemia of the intestine. At this stage of the disease, the affected organ can still be restored. Patients are constantly accompanied by unbearable pain in the abdominal area and vomiting with impurities of bile. The chair becomes liquid.
2. Infarction of the intestine. The ailment does not stand still in its development. As a consequence, several changes occur in the affected organ, resulting in intoxication of the whole organism. The liquid stool is replaced by constipation, now in fecal masses it is possible to detect impurities of blood. The pain in the abdomen becomes unbearable, the skin turns pale, and after they acquire a bluish shade.
3. Peritonitis. At this stage, poisoning of the body with toxins is pronounced, there are violations in the work of the circulatory system. The pain may temporarily stop, but it is replaced by a strong enough vomiting, the chair becomes literally unpredictable. Inflammation increases with time. Very soon, there is paralysis, resulting in a delay in the stool. There is hypotension and a slight increase in body temperature.

Classification

Depending on whether there is a systematic restoration of blood flow after its blockage, doctors divide the further course of the disease into three types:

• Compensated (blood circulation in the intestine gradually comes to normal).
• Subcompensated (only partial recovery is observed).
• Decompensated (it is impossible to normalize blood circulation, as a consequence, there is an infarction of the intestine).

How can I diagnose my intestinal thrombosis?

It is very important to constantly monitor the condition of your body. When there is pain in the abdominal area and feces with blood impurities, you should immediately seek help from a doctor, since there is a possibility of a disease such as intestinal thrombosis. Symptoms in each individual patient can vary. So, some people pales skin, the temperature goes up to 38 degrees, there is hypertension, and then there is a sharp drop in blood pressure. All these clinical signs should be alerted. In this type of situation it is recommended to call an ambulance. It is important to remember that any delay can literally cost one's life. If a person does not go to the hospital with these symptoms, it can be confidently asserted that the illness will result in a fatal outcome.

The main methods of diagnosis in a medical institution

When admitted to a hospital with a suspected thrombosis of the intestine, the patient is usually subjected to a detailed diagnostic examination. It implies the following procedures:

• Anamnesis and visual examination.
• The blood test for the level of ESR and the number of leukocytes (in the case of thrombosis, these indicators are too high).
• Radiography.
• Computer tomography (allows to investigate the condition of internal organs as much as possible).
• Diagnostic laparoscopy (the doctor makes a puncture on the skin, then a tube with a camera on the end will be inserted later, the image of which is displayed directly on the computer screen).
• Diagnostic laparotomy (performed when there is no possibility of laparoscopy).
• Angiography of vessels using contrast medium (this test can check the degree of blockage of blood vessels).
• Colonoscopy.
• Endoscopy.

Conservative therapy

When a patient enters the hospital, the doctor first of all evaluates at what stage of development there is an intestinal thrombosis. Treatment by means of conservative methods, as a rule, is applied in the event that the disease has not started to progress. Here are used:

• Parenteral method of administration of anticoagulants, the main purpose of which is the dilution of blood. Most often used drug "Heparin" and some of its analogues.
• Injections of thrombolytics and disaggregants (medications Trental, Reopoliglyukin, Gemodez).

Despite the relatively high mortality from this disease, in the case of timely treatment there are many chances for a full recovery of the patient.

Operative intervention

If the mesenteric thrombosis of the intestine is progressing, or the medication failed to overcome the ailment, the doctor prescribes the operation, and the drug therapy acts as an additional treatment.

In the case of bowel ischemia, the disease rarely passes on its own, however, as a preventive measure, antibiotics are recommended to remove toxins from the body.

The operation involves the removal of the damaged segments of the organ and the subsequent stitching of healthy tissues with each other. In some cases, additional shunting is required. During this procedure, a specialist creates a "detour" around the clogged vessel so that blood can move forward.

If the thrombosis of the vessels of the intestine proceeds in an acute form, surgical intervention is also prescribed. The doctor independently determines what exactly needs to be done (remove the thrombus, perform angioplasty, shunting, etc.). These manipulations help to stop the development of the disease, subsequently tissue necrosis does not appear.

Rehabilitation

After all surgical procedures, the patient, as a rule, spends some time in the hospital. During the next two weeks, it is contraindicated for any physical activity. Otherwise, it is possible to provoke the appearance of a hernia.

Doctors during rehabilitation recommend to comply with bed rest, if necessary, do a stomach massage yourself, slightly stroking it clockwise.

It is very important to follow all the recommendations from the doctors. It's only in this way that you can forever forget about such a problem as intestinal thrombosis.

After the operation, it is just as important to stick to the milk and vegetable diet. The diet should consist of rice porridge, fruit, low-fat boiled meat / fish, fermented milk products. All canned food and smoked products, alcoholic beverages, garlic and onions are forbidden. It is not recommended to drink whole milk in the first month after the operation, so as not to provoke a digestive disorder.

In conclusion, it should be noted that timely treatment of this disease almost always ends in complete recovery. Do not hesitate to visit a doctor and follow-up therapy.