The exact cause of the disease remains unclear, and it predominantly affects children and adolescents. The lesions mainly occur in the jejunum or ileum, presenting as segmental congestion, edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, extensive hemorrhage, necrosis, and ulcer formation. The mortality rate of this disease is as high as 25–30%.

bubble_chart Clinical Manifestations

1. The onset is sudden, often accompanied by fever, shiver, and systemic toxic symptoms.

2. Severe abdominal pain, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, sometimes with diarrhea and hematochezia.

3. Tenderness over the entire abdomen, some patients have rebound tenderness and muscle rigidity. Borborygmus is weakened.

bubble_chart Diagnosis

1. The onset is sudden, often accompanied by fever, shivering, and systemic toxic symptoms.

2. Severe abdominal pain, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, sometimes with diarrhea and hematochezia.

3. Tenderness over the entire abdomen, some patients may have rebound tenderness and muscle rigidity. Borborygmus is weakened.

4. In severe cases, toxic shock may occur.

5. White blood cells suddenly increase to (20–30)×10⁹/L, and toxic granules appear.

6. Abdominal X-ray may show small intestine distension, varying sizes of gas-fluid levels, or thickening of the small intestine wall, irregular mucous membrane, and other changes.

bubble_chart Treatment Measures

1. Non-surgical therapy

is suitable for mild cases. Methods include fasting, gastrointestinal decompression, fluid infusion, blood transfusion, maintaining water and electrolyte balance, and improving the patient's nutritional status. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, hemostatic drugs, and adrenal corticosteroids are applied.

2. Surgical therapy

is indicated for cases with obvious peritonitis, suspected intestinal necrosis or perforation; multiple instances of massive intestinal bleeding, intestinal obstruction, or failure of non-surgical treatment.

(1) During surgical exploration, if the intestine is confirmed to have no necrosis, perforation, or massive bleeding, 50-100ml of 0.25% procaine is used for mesenteric block to improve intestinal blood supply, followed by continued drug therapy postoperatively.

(2) If the intestine already has necrosis, perforation, or massive bleeding, resection of the affected intestinal segment with end-to-end anastomosis should be performed. For severe cases, initial stage [first stage] anastomosis is not performed; instead, ileocolonic double stoma surgery is conducted. Simple repair, decompression, or intestinal exteriorization may also be performed.