What is the difference between ischemic colitis and mesenteric ischemia? A common misnomer. Mesenteric ischemia and ischemic colitis, while completely different disorders, are often mixed together and usually have different illness scripts and initial treatment algorithms. Mesenteric Ischemia: • Small bowel • Usually occlusive due to thromboemboli • Sudden onset • Abd pain “out of proportion” • Tx: urgent surgery Ischemic colitis: • Large bowel • Usually due to nonocclusive low flow states • More gradual onset • Moderate abd pain & tenderness, bloody diarrhea • Tx: usually conservative, surgery occasionally considered #ischemiccolitis #mesentericischemia #comparison #differences #diagnosis #table
