[Mesenteric ischemia in hemodialysis]

Eighteen hemodialysis patients with the diagnosis of mesenteric ischemia (MI), admitted to the Renal Service in the last 5 years, were retrospectively reviewed. All patients, 10 males and 8 females, average age 66.3 +/- 8.6 years, were complaining of acute abdominal pain without other specific clinical or laboratorial findings, had their diagnosis confirmed during laparatomy, with ischemic involvement of the ileocecal/ascendant colon area in 14 cases and the small bowel in 4. Noteworthy was the high incidence of previous dialysis-induced hypotensive episodes (10/18), the presence of leukocytosis (13/18), the high average hemoglobin level of 9.4 gr/dl, and the constant finding of non-occlusive MI. Average time in-hospital was 15.4 days (2 to 30) and the mortality--88% (16 patients). The growing incidence of MI mostly of the non-occlusive type, and its grim prognosis, calls for an early diagnosis of functional ischemic colitis, and the adoption of preventive action to avoid bowel infarction.