Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is an autoimmune inflammatory dermatological disease that can have serious complications. Acute mesenteric ischemia is a rare complication that can present in cases of chronic psoriasis in which the blood supply to the superior mesenteric artery and the celiac trunk can be obstructed resulting in ischemia, bowel necrosis and can lead to gangrenous changes in multiple abdominal organs. In late diagnosis, this has a very poor prognosis and can lead to patient death.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 49-year-old female who was a known case of psoriasis on medications. She presented with non-specific abdominal pain and vomiting for two days. CT scan showed occlusion of the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery with infarctions to multiple organs. She was diagnosed with mesenteric ischemia and underwent an exploratory laparotomy. Due to the late presentation, the patient quickly deteriorated and was put on end-of-life care.

Conclusion: Cases of AMI should be suspected in patients with chronic psoriasis who present with abdominal pain especially if there are other comorbidities that can predispose to thromboembolism. Early diagnosis and management can lead to better outcome.

Keywords: Acute Mesenteric Ischemia; Psoriasis; Acute Abdomen

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