摘要Ischemic colitis is the most common form of ischemic injury of the gastrointestinal tract and can present either as an occlusive or a non-occlusive form.It accounts for 1 in 1000 hospitalizations but its incidence is underestimated because it often has a mild and transient nature.The etiology of ischemic colitis is multifactorial and the clinical presentation variable.The diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical suspicion,radiographic,endoscopic and histological findings.Therapy and outcome depends on the severity of the disease.Most cases of the non-gangrenous form are transient and resolve spontaneously without complications.On the other hand,high morbidity and mortality and urgent operative intervention are the hallmarks of gangrenous ischemic colitis.