title: Abdominal Vascular Catastrophes.
abstract: Abdominal vascular catastrophes are among the most challenging and time sensitive for emergency practitioners to recognize. Mesenteric ischemia remains a highly lethal entity for which the history and physical examination can be misleading. Laboratory tests are often unhelpful, and appropriate imaging must be quickly obtained. A multidisciplinary approach is required to have a positive impact on mortality rates. Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm likewise may present in a cryptic fashion. A specific type of ruptured aneurysm, the aortoenteric fistula, often masquerades as the more common routine gastrointestinal bleed. The astute clinician recognizes that this is a more lethal variant of gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1000 W. Carson Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.
authors.forename: Manpreet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koyfman
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, Sixth Floor, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address: jmartinez@som.umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D065666:Mesenteric Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Aorto-enteric fistula; Gastrointestinal bleeding; Mesenteric ischemia; Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm