Mesenteric venous thrombosis is a blood clot in one or more of the major veins that drain blood from the intestine.

Mesenteric venous thrombosis is a clot that blocks blood flow in the mesenteric veins, one of two veins through which blood leaves the intestine. The condition interrupts the blood supply to the intestine and can result in damage to the intestines.

Mesenteric venous thrombosis has a variety of causes. Many of the diseases that lead to this condition cause swelling (inflammation) of the tissues surrounding the veins, including:

• Appendicitis
• Cancer
• Diverticulitis
• Liver disease with cirrhosis
• Pancreatitis

Patients who have disorders that make the blood more likely to stick together (clot) have a higher risk for mesenteric venous thrombosis.

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Mesenteric venous thrombosis Symptoms

Review Date: 09/06/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; James R. Mason, MD, Oncologist, Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program and Stem Cell Processing Lab, Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)