K55.1 – Chronic Intestinal Ischaemia | ICD-10
K55.1 is the ICD-10 code for chronic vascular disorders of the small and large intestine. It describes a prolonged reduction in intestinal blood supply that can lead to damage of the intestinal wall.
Things worth knowing about "K55.1"
K55.1 is the ICD-10 code for chronic vascular disorders of the small and large intestine. It describes a prolonged reduction in intestinal blood supply that can lead to damage of the intestinal wall.
What Does ICD-10 Code K55.1 Mean?
The ICD-10 code K55.1 stands for chronic vascular disorders of the intestine (also known as chronic intestinal ischaemia or chronic mesenteric ischaemia). It belongs to the group of vascular disorders of the intestine (K55) and refers to conditions in which the intestine does not receive sufficient blood – and therefore oxygen – over a prolonged period of time. Unlike acute intestinal ischaemia, the symptoms in K55.1 develop gradually and progress slowly over time.
Causes
The most common cause of chronic intestinal ischaemia is atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) of the mesenteric arteries, particularly the superior or inferior mesenteric artery. Other possible causes include:
- Thrombosis or embolism affecting the intestinal vessels
- Inflammatory vascular diseases (vasculitis)
- Chronic low blood pressure (hypotension) leading to reduced blood flow
- Heart failure with reduced cardiac output
- History of vascular surgery
Symptoms
The symptoms of chronic intestinal ischaemia are often non-specific, which makes diagnosis challenging. Typical complaints include:
- Postprandial pain: Abdominal pain occurring 15–30 minutes after eating, caused by increased blood demand in the intestine following food intake
- Weight loss due to fear of eating (known as abdominal angina or intestinal angina)
- Nausea, gastrointestinal bleeding, or diarrhoea
- Malnutrition resulting from reduced food intake
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is established through a combination of clinical assessment and imaging studies:
- Colour Doppler ultrasound: To assess blood flow in the mesenteric vessels
- CT angiography or MR angiography: To detect stenoses (narrowings) or occlusions of the intestinal arteries
- Laboratory tests to exclude other causes
- Gastroscopy and colonoscopy to rule out other gastrointestinal conditions
Treatment
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition and the underlying causes:
Conservative Management
- Risk factor optimisation: treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia
- Smoking cessation
- Antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy to reduce clot formation
Interventional and Surgical Treatment
- Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with or without stent placement to widen narrowed vessels
- Bypass surgery: Rerouting blood flow around blocked arterial segments
- Vascular reconstruction for significant stenoses
References
- World Health Organization (WHO): ICD-10 Version 2019, Chapter XI – Diseases of the Digestive System (K00–K93).
- Sreenarasimhaiah J. - Diagnosis and management of intestinal ischaemic disorders. BMJ. 2003;326(7403):1372–1376.
- Clair DG, Beach JM. - Mesenteric Ischemia. New England Journal of Medicine. 2016;374(10):959–968.
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