• Abdominal pain (NHS Choices)

Mesenteric ischaemia

• Usually arterial occlusion - superior mesenteric artery. Strictures may develop, which require surgical resection. Often PMH of vascular disease or DM, and it sometimes may follow aneurysm surgery and ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery.

• Usually cramp-like, L sided abdominal pain which lasts for a few hours, and is followed by PR bleeding - dark red, often without faeces, and may occur 2–3 times over a period of 12 hours.

• It can be difficult to distinguish the bleeding of ischaemic colitis from that due to inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis or carcinoma and this patient requires an emergency surgical admission for further assessment.

Appendicitis

• Appendicitis (CKS)

Gallstones

• Gallstones (NHS)