Small bowel infarction due to mesenteric venous thrombosis

Background: A 47-year-old male consulted the emergency department in our hospital with a history of short standing but aggravating peri-umbilical pain. In the past week he had no stools, a loss of appetite combined with episodes of nausea and vomitus. Clinical investigation showed diffuse abdominal tenderness and a distended abdomen. A contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen was performed. During the further clinical work-up an intra-abdominal E. coli sepsis was diagnosed