This can be the result of many pathologies and can be acute or chronic.

Common causes

• Atherosclerosis
• Embolism
• Dissection
• External compression by mass lesions
• Fibromuscular dysplasia – non-artherosclerotic, non-inflammatory arterial changes

Common sites of occlusion

• Splanchnic arteries
  • Superior mesenteric
  • Coeliac arteries – often occurs chronically in women
  • Renal arteries
• Bifurcation of the aorta

Signs and symptoms

Acute

• Severe, diffuse abdominal pain
• Rarely involves the liver or spleen
• Renal artery occlusion:
  • Sudden onset flank pain
  • haematuria

Chronic

• Is often symptomless, unless both the superioer mesenteric and coeliac arteries are occluded, due to large collateral circulation between these two arterial systems
• Intestinal Angina is the most common symptom. This is a cramping pain typically felt 20-60 minutes after eating. Can be relieved by sublingual GTN.
• Patients often lose weight as they develop a fear of eating
• Abdominal bruit may be heard
• Other signs include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and dark stools
• Renal artery occlusion:
  • Often causes signs of renal disease (e.g. hypertension)

Diagnosis

Chronic

• Based mainly on clinical findings
• Angiography may be useful
• In severe cases, bypass surgery can be beneficial, but outcomes vary.
• Angioplasty is also sometimes helpful both with and without stenting
• Some patients may be put on preventative measures and antiplatelet agents

Acute

• Surgical emergency
• Requires thrombolysis or Percutaneous intervention to prevent gut necrosis.
• Outcomes are poor, particularly if >4-6hours after onset

- See more at: http://almostadoctor.co.uk/content/systems/-gastrointestinal-tract/small-intestine/abdominal-artery-ischaemia-and-occlusion#sthash.kKiEXvKZ.dpuf