Non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia: two case reports and a short review of the literature

Introduction: Non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is an infrequent cause of acute mesenteric ischemia with atypical symptoms and a high mortality.

Patients and methods: We report two cases of NOMI characterized by their difference in etiology, treatment and outcome.

Results: In the first case, the patient developed NOMI after septic shock, she was successfully treated with surgery. The second patient experienced two episodes of cardiac arrest followed by NOMI. He received only supportive care and died shortly after. We present a short review of the literature, discussing epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentations, diagnosis and management of NOMI.

Conclusion: NOMI is a rare disease with a difficult diagnosis. Early recognition and treatment with supportive therapy, vasodilator drugs and possibly surgery can significantly lower mortality.