ABSTRACT
Mesenteric ischaemia can be classified into acute and chronic disease, which present very differently clinically and require different management approaches. Here, the focus will be on acute mesenteric ischaemia, which presents as a catastrophic surgical emergency with high morbidity and mortality. It represents 0.1 per cent of hospital admissions1 with reported mortality rates of 60-100 per cent.1-4
Prompt diagnosis and aggressive management are required. Correct diagnosis in the early stages, however, is often difficult due to the non-specific nature of symptoms resulting in delay in diagnosis.5
