[Ischemic colitis. Clinical, coloscopic and biopsy findings illustrated by 10 cases]

Transient ischemia of the colon may be so severe as to cause segmental strictures, but in other cases it may be so slight that the damage heals up without any demonstrable morphological changes. The patients are often older than 60 years. Characteristic clinical features are acute abdominal pain and simultaneous bloody diarrhea. The diagnosis is normally made on the basis of clinical and colonoscopic findings and typical histological changes in biopsies. It is important to make a correct diagnosis at an early stage because close observation is necessary for some days. No specific treatment is needed.