[Ischemic colitis. Results of conservative treatment]

34 consecutive patients were admitted for ischemic colitis confirmed by colonoscopy, contrast enema, laparotomy, and/or post-mortem between 1984 and 1988. 13 underwent excisional surgery, usually at an early stage, because of acute abdomen. This study is devoted to the remaining 21 patients (62%), i.e. nearly two thirds of the whole series, who were treated conservatively (intravenous hydration and antibiotics). Our results suggest that (1) ischemic colitis usually affects elderly patients in whom an underlying cardiovascular disease is seldom found; (2) the right colon is infrequently involved, and (3) outcome is generally favorable in the absence of superimposed major pathology or of peritoneal signs which would require surgical exploration.