title: Acute bowel ischemia after heart operations.
abstract: Acute bowel ischemia is a perioperative complication that is frequently unrecognized as a cause of death after cardiac surgical procedures, with an in-hospital mortality of 50% to 100%. In recent years, controversy regarding the most appropriate approach to resolve clinical or laboratory suspicion and the limited therapeutic options have led to very little improvement in patient prognosis. This article reviews the related literature examining the actual prevalence, pathophysiologic mechanisms, predisposing factors, diagnostic tests, and therapeutic approaches providing a glance at new promising tools in diagnostic workup.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, Community Hospital, Brescia, Italy. Electronic address: roberto_lorusso@iol.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart and Vessels, Cardiac Surgery Unit, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mariscalco
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Community Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vizzardi
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Community Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Ivano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bonadei
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Unit, University of Magna Grecia, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Renzulli
authors.affiliation: Experimental Cardiac Surgery Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gelsomino
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply*; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed