title: Intestinal ischemia -- the basics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this review the physiology of the intestinal circulation of importance for the understanding of intestinal ischemia is briefly outlined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The potential threat of massive intestinal vasoconstriction causing nonocclusive intestinal ischemia is discussed, as is the clinical importance of the reperfusion component of the ischemic injury. The clinical causes of intestinal ischemia are outlined. The delay in the usual clinical diagnostic process and its severe consequences are emphasized. Emphasis is made to discuss the special situation with sigmoid gangrene following surgery for ruptured aortic aneurysm. Laparotomy upon clinical suspicion of intestinal ischemia is generally recommended. The various therapeutic surgical measures available if diagnosis is made before massive intestinal gangrene are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Haglund
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bergqvist
mesh_terms: D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D017091:Colitis, Ischemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000098:blood supply; D005734:Gangrene; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008641:Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology