Abstract
Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is an uncommon condition characterized by the presence of multiple gas-filled cysts within the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. It is still a poorly understood phenomenon, considered to result from primary mucosal insult from varying causes. However, it is associated with various diseases, including gastroenteral obstructive and connective vascular diseases and even pulmonary or endocrine diseases. Authors report a case of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis with volvulus in the small intestine that developed in a 44-year-old man without history of any special underlying diseases.
Figures and Tables
Fig. 1
Simple abdomen. X-ray. Plain film shows small bowel conglomeration into right subphrenic space and pneumatosis
intestinalis.
![jkss-76-321-g001](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/0037jkss/jkss-76-321-g001.jpg)
Fig. 2
Abdominal CT. In lung setting, small bowel conglomeration into right subphrenic space and marked pneumatosis intestinalis in small bowel loops are shown (arrow).
![jkss-76-321-g002](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/0037jkss/jkss-76-321-g002.jpg)
References
1. Mujahed Z, Evans JA. Gas cysts of the intestine (pneumatosis intestinalis). Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1958. 107:151–160.
2. Steinnon OA. Pneumatosis intestinalis in the newborn. Am J Dis Child. 1951. 81:651–660.
3. Heng Y, Schuffler MD, Haggitt RC, Rohrmann CA. Pneumatosis intestinalis: a review. Am J Gastroenterol. 1995. 90:1747–1758.
4. Park YS. A case of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. J Korean Surg Soc. 1976. 18:55–62.
5. Alford JE, Culver GJ, Galletti G. Pneumatosis cystoides. Am J Surg. 1956. 92:648–656.
6. Koss LG. Abdominal gas cysts (pneumatosis cystoides intestinorum hominis); an analysis with a report of a case and a critical review of the literature. AMA Arch Pathol. 1952. 53:523–549.
7. Sleisenger MH, Fordtran JS. Sleisenger MH, Fordtran JS, editors. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. Gastrointestinal Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 1973. Philadelphia: Saunders;1514–1519.
8. Nelson SW. Extraluminal gas collections due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med. 1972. 115:225–248.
9. Chippindale AJ, Desai S. Two unusual cases of pneumatosis coli. Clin Radiol. 1991. 43:180–182.
10. Elliott GB, Elliott KA. The roentgenologic pathology of socalled pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. AJR. 1963. 89:720–729.
11. Smith WG, Anderson MJ Jr, Pemberton HW. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis involving left portion of colon; report of four cases diagnosed at sigmoidoscopy. Gastroenterology. 1958. 35:528–533.
12. Jamart J. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. A statistical study of 919 cases. Acta Hepatogastroenterol (Stuttg). 1979. 26:419–422.
13. Ham JH, Kim TH, Han SW, Cho KJ, Choi SO, Pack JS, et al. A case of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis: diagnosed by ct colonoscopy. Korean J Gastroenterol. 2007. 50:334–339.
14. Ihara E, Harada N, Motomura S, Chijiiwa Y. A new approach to Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis by target air-enema CT. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998. 93:1163–1164.
15. Donati F, Boraschi P, Giusti S, Spallanzani S. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis: imaging findings with colonoscopy correlation. Dig Liver Dis. 2007. 39:87–90.
16. Togawa S, Yamami N, Nakayama H, Shibayama M, Mano Y. Evaluation of HBO2 therapy in pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2004. 31:387–393.
17. Matthews FJ. Enteric pneumatosis. Br Med J. 1954. 1:851–852.
18. Wiesner W, Mortele KJ, Glickman JN, Ji H, Ros PR. Pneumatosis intestinalis and portomesenteric venous gas in intestinal ischemia: correlation of CT findings with severity of ischemia and clinical outcome. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001. 177:1319–1323.