Cocaine-induced mesenteric ischaemia

We report a 33-year-old man with distal ileum infarction after intravenous abuse of cocaine. He underwent resection of a gangrenous bowel segment and survived. We review the literature regarding intestinal ischaemia related to cocaine. To date, 19 cases have been published. Like most previously reported cases, our patient was young and had no previous history of arteriosclerosis. He suffered cocaine-induced rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure. Mesenteric ischaemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute or chronic abdominal pain in cocaine consumers.