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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Common signs and symptoms of ischemic colitis include:
- Abdominal pain, tenderness or cramping, usually localized to the lower left side of your abdomen; the onset can be sudden or gradual
- Bright red or maroon-colored blood in your stool or, at times, passage of blood alone without stool
- A feeling of urgency to move your bowels
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
The risk of severe complications from ischemic colitis increases when signs and symptoms affect the right side of your abdomen. That's because the arteries that feed the right side of your colon also feed part of your small intestine. When blood flow is blocked on the right side of your colon, it's likely that part of your small intestine also isn't receiving adequate blood supply.
Pain tends to be more severe with this type of ischemic colitis.
Blocked blood flow to the small intestine may quickly lead to death of intestinal tissue (infarction or necrosis). If this life-threatening situation occurs, you'll need surgery to clear the blockage and to remove the portion of the intestine that has been destroyed.
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor if you develop signs and symptoms of ischemic colitis, such as bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent serious complications from this condition.
- McQuaid KR. Gastrointestinal disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. 49th ed. New York, N.Y: McGraw-Hill; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6395. Accessed May 27, 2010.
- Stoffel EM, et al. Mesenteric ischemia. In: Greenberger NJ, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Endoscopy. New York, N.Y: McGraw-Hill; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6200589. Accessed May 27, 2010.
- Sun MY, et al. Ischemic colitis. Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 2007;20:5.
- Koutroubakis IE. Ischemic colitis: Clinical practice in diagnosis and treatment. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2008;14:7302.
- Sotiriadis J, et al. Ischemic colitis has a worse prognosis when isolated to the right side of the colon. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2007;102:2247.
- Grubel P, et al. Colonic ischemic. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 28, 2010.
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