Pneumatosis intestinalis

Published: 03/19/2012

Authors: Altaf N, Speake WJ and Lobo DN

A 68 year old man presented with a one day history of central colicky abdominal pain and vomiting. There was central abdominal tenderness and supine abdominal radiographs showed dilated loops of small bowel with an associated pneumoperitoneum.

At laparotomy, multiple gas filled cysts suggestive of pneumatosis intestinalis were seen arising from the small bowel wall. Although there was no overt perforation, an inflamed small segment of small bowel with an impending perforation was resected. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically.