Ischemic diseases of the bowel.

The ischemic bowel diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders usually seen in elderly individuals. They represent ischemic damage to different portions of the bowel and therefore produce a variety of clinical syndromes and outcomes. Proper diagnosis and management of patients with ischemic bowel disease require vigilance on the part of the physician and a willingness to embark on an aggressive plan of diagnosis and management in the appropriate setting.