[Nonocclusive intestinal ischemia as a complication of hemodialysis treatment]

A 52-year-old man on haemodialysis treatment for chronic glomerulonephritis also had a nephrotic syndrome, hypercholesterolaemia, severe arterial hypertension and peripheral vascular disease in stage IIb. He also was a heavy smoker. Following a nonspecific diarrhoeal illness, which caused haemoconcentration, he developed abdominal pain and fever. WBC count (29,000/microliter) and serum lactate level (18.2 mmol/l) were elevated, and there were clinical signs of lower abdominal peritonitis. Laparotomy revealed multiple ischaemic segments. The arteries were not thrombosed but had severe atheromatous changes. There is an increasing incidence of such nonocclusive intestinal ischaemia because there are more elderly people and more patients with high-risk factors among those requiring dialysis.