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Small Bowel Obstruction Mimicking Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Kunal Patel1, Nai-Lun Chang1, Oleg Shulik1
1Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences, Saint Michael's Medical Center, 111 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ 07109, USA.
Case Reports in Surgery
|April 4, 2015
Summary
A rare case highlights recurrent small bowel obstruction mimicking myocardial infarction. This condition caused ST-segment elevations on an electrocardiogram, a finding not previously linked to this specific intra-abdominal issue.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common surgical emergency.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities can arise from various non-cardiac conditions.
- ST-segment elevations typically indicate acute myocardial infarction but can be mimicked.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a unique case of ST-segment elevations caused by recurrent small bowel obstruction.
- To highlight the importance of considering intra-abdominal pathology in ECG abnormalities.
- To contribute to the literature on differential diagnoses for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 42-year-old female patient.
- Initial presentation with small bowel obstruction and emergent surgical decompression.
- Postoperative development of tachycardia, epigastric pain, and ECG changes.
- Diagnostic workup to identify the cause of ECG abnormalities.
Main Results:
- Patient developed ST-segment elevations on ECG postoperatively.
- Recurrent small bowel obstruction was identified as the cause of the ST-segment elevations.
- This association between small bowel obstruction and ST-elevation is potentially novel.
Conclusions:
- Recurrent small bowel obstruction can present with ECG findings mimicking acute myocardial infarction.
- Clinicians should consider intra-abdominal emergencies in the differential diagnosis of ST-elevation.
- This case expands the known causes of non-coronary ST-segment elevations.
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