Acute mesenteric ischemia with abdominal skin mottling

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Oncology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Stage IV lung cancer patients are often frail and susceptible to sudden medical complications.
• Acute mesenteric ischemia is a vascular emergency characterized by compromised blood flow to the intestines.
• Skin mottling can be a sign of poor circulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of acute mesenteric ischemia presenting with skin mottling in an elderly cancer patient.
• To highlight the diagnostic significance of skin mottling in cases of suspected intestinal ischemia.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 90-year-old female with Stage IV lung cancer.
• Clinical observation of sudden onset abdominal and knee skin mottling.
• Laboratory tests revealing elevated inflammatory markers.
• Emergent computed tomography (CT) scan for diagnosis.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with unusual skin mottling.
• Diagnostic workup confirmed acute mesenteric ischemia.
• The patient's condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to death within 7 hours.

Conclusions:

• Abdominal skin mottling can be an early, critical physical finding suggestive of intestinal ischemia.
• This sign may indicate profound circulatory failure, especially in vulnerable patient populations.
• Prompt recognition of skin mottling is crucial for timely diagnosis and management of mesenteric ischemia.