Acute intestinal ischaemia

[LovelyBath]

Hi, please can anyone help me with this. I was recently ill and in hospital and had to have an operation for this. I think I had some kind of ruptured pelvic abscess but no-one seems to quite know. I was told I had an emergency laparotomy which was life saving, then 3 weeks later more severe abdo pain and rushed in for another op which removed a metre of small bowel as it was too ischaemic.

What is it and is it likely to happen again? I have also previously had an op for small bowel obstruction due to adhesions but this felt different. I'm a bit confused [confused}

Didn't want you to go unanswered, though very much not a bowel expert. Poor you what an unbelievably crap time you've had. It must have been very scarey.

The ischemic bowel, means, quite literally that the blood supply is or was so severely restricted that the tissues die. This, if left can cause gangrene, sepsis and death. (sorry, sounds very brutal), so removing the affected area is essential. Why this happened is a good question for you to ask your surgeon. Multiple abdominal operations do become more and more risky due to scarring and adhesions.

I hope you have loads of support and are taking it very easy. It might be helpful to request a 'debrief' from your surgeon and maybe counselling as it sounds incredibly traumatic.

Best wishes.

My mum had this a few years post emergency appendectomy, she's absolutely fine now, poo's a bit more frequently ;)

It does take some recovering from, have you got a post op consultation? If so, write down questions and take along, get well soon!

Hi thanks for your replies. I did go for a follow up but just got the registrar and he just seemed to talk about adhesions. Feeling a bit fed up with the hospital- I was in weeks before this but they didn't really check out my abdo pain and sent me home, and then all this... have changed to a different hospital but have the discharge summary. It says "Acute intestinal ischaemia and Bowel Obstruction" it notes I had a previous bowel op about a year before... it's all a bit vague tbh...

Have asked at GP's to change to a different hospital in future, asked to be transferred to colorectal dept of other hospital friend has recommended. Wonder if can get an explanation of what happened- maybe ask at PALs?

Am so cross at patronising comment on discharge summary saying the patient was very anxious during her stay and please would the GP "be so kind as to refer her to psychological services". And the reason they didn't assess me properly weeks before was that I was confused and distressed therefore they assessed me at A and E and got some kind of mental health type people and didn't help me.. Grr.

Have just read ischaemic bowel often presents with 'altered mental status'. Was in so much pain!

QOD glad your mum is OK! Feeling a bit calmer now have read it again. maybe they just mean I could do with some support.

Thanks again it really helps x

The adhesions sort of strangled a bit of her bowel from what I understand, is the GP surgery any good?

Hmm. I don't get on that well with the GP I have. If she'd sent me up to the hospital then I wouldn't have had to have gone through A and E at all. She was pretty dismissive of my pain, also said my anxiety might be causing a fast heartbeat at one point which scares me. Maybe I should try and see another GP next time but then they wouldn't know of the background.