Near-fatal small bowel ischaemia secondary to sacrocolpopexy mesh

BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Jan 25:2013:bcr2012008179. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-008179.

Abstract

A 74-year-old woman presenting with acute abdominal pain underwent surgery for suspected small bowel ischaemia. At laparotomy, a sacrocolpopexy mesh in the pelvis, which had been inserted 8 years previously, was found to be causing strangulation of a 2-m length of the small bowel. Following resection and primary anastomosis, the patient spent several days in intensive care before her eventual discharge. This unusual life-threatening complication should be considered in patients presenting with abdominal pain even many years following abdominal sacrocolpopexy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intestine, Small / blood supply*
  • Intestine, Small / surgery
  • Ischemia / etiology*
  • Ischemia / surgery
  • Prosthesis Failure / adverse effects*
  • Surgical Mesh / adverse effects*
  • Uterine Prolapse / surgery