Emphysematous gastritis as a manifestation of non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia after coartectomy

Major interventions in cardiovascular surgery of patients with aortic pathology can result in the compromise of perfusion of organs distant from the surgery site, the gastrointestinal tract being one of the most sensitive to hemodynamic changes, especially in extreme age groups with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. The case of a young infant is reported, with a history of Turner syndrome, who is led to correction of aortic coarctation plus arch hypoplasia, presenting as a postoperative complication a picture of emphysematous gastritis with systemic compromise, a process that was favored by low cardiac output post-pump and the presence of early urosepsis, all of which was interpreted as part of the spectrum of non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia syndrome. Its early diagnosis made possible a prompt intervention consisting of parenteral nutritional support, acid brake, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and strict radiological follow-up, achieving complete resolution of her symptoms, without short-term complications. This case demonstrated that the identification of risk factors for splanchnic ischemia, a high clinical suspicion and careful medical management, allowed a favorable outcome for a disease with a high mortality rate and very few cases reported in the pediatric population.