Gastrointestinal problems experienced in an intensive care unit.

Abstract

Medical emergencies involving the gastrointestinal tract include bleeding, abdominal pain, diarrhea, toxic megacolon, pancreatitis, and hepatic failure. Each can be a cause for admission to an intensive care unit or occur de novo in a patient hospitalized in such a unit. The clinical presentation, management, and consequences of these varied gastrointestinal problems seen in an intensive care unit are presented followed by a recommended course of action.