[The current status of the diagnosis and therapy of nonocclusive intestinal ischemia (NII)]

Nonocclusive gut ischaemia is a disease of advanced age. Its causes are reduced cardiac output or shock, facilitated by digitalis, adrenaline, ergotamine and diuretics. The persisting microcirculation and development of gut necrosis leads to an increase in certain serum enzymes, such as lactate, LDH and CK-NB. The early application of mesenteric angiography using a DSA technique reveals four grades of underperfusion. Early and correct diagnosis of the disease should lead to intra-arterial treatment with prostaglandin. In ten out of 42 cases, conservative therapy led to reperfusion of the gut.