Introduction:

in critically ill patients, intestine function expresses the response to stress. Symptoms of intestinal failure in intensive care units are not specific and are not included in commonly used severity scales. However, 62% of critically ill patients present gastrointestinal symptoms at least once a day, demonstrating the relationship between the appearance of gastrointestinal problems and mortality in critical patients.

Objective:

to provide the necessary theoretical knowledge about intestinal failure as an exclusive entity and how to recognize it in critically ill patients, classification and a multidisciplinary approach to treatment of this condition.

Methods:

a qualitative and systematic review was carried out of the literature published and updated until February 2020 both in English and in Spanish.

Conclusions:

gastrointestinal disorders are frequent in critically ill patients and constitute a determining factor in their mortality. Recognizing intestinal failure and dysfunction allows the optimization of treatment, reduces mortality and the incidence of complications. The creation of dedicated units with experienced staff in the management of acute intestinal failure is a key aspect in this regard.

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