Vasodilatory drugs in the management of nonocclusive bowel ischemia.

A patient with a clinical and angiographic diagnosis of nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia had phenoxybenzamine directly infused into the superior mesenteric artery to counteract the existing splanchnic vasoconstriction. The diagnosis was confirmed by later operative intervention and the patient recovered. Vasodilatory drugs may play a significant role in the management of patients with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia.