Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to Management

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI), defined as gas within the bowel wall, is an uncommon radiographic sign which can represent a wide spectrum of diseases and a variety of underlying diagnoses. Because its etiology can vary greatly, management of PI ranges from surgical intervention to outpatient observa...

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Main Authors: Sean Donovan, Joseph Cernigliaro, Nancy Dawson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/571387
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author Sean Donovan
Joseph Cernigliaro
Nancy Dawson
author_facet Sean Donovan
Joseph Cernigliaro
Nancy Dawson
author_sort Sean Donovan
collection DOAJ
description Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI), defined as gas within the bowel wall, is an uncommon radiographic sign which can represent a wide spectrum of diseases and a variety of underlying diagnoses. Because its etiology can vary greatly, management of PI ranges from surgical intervention to outpatient observation (see, Greenstein et al. (2007), Morris et al. (2008), and Peter et al. (2003)). Since PI is infrequently encountered, clinicians may be unfamiliar with its diagnosis and management; this unfamiliarity, combined with the potential necessity for urgent intervention, may place the clinician confronted with PI in a precarious medical scenario. We present a case of pneumatosis intestinalis in a patient who posed a particularly challenging diagnostic dilemma for the primary team. Furthermore, we explore the differential diagnosis prior to revealing the intervention offered to our patient; our concise yet inclusive differential and thought process for rapid evaluation may be of benefit to clinicians presented with similar clinical scenarios.
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spelling doaj-art-388b6d452a3c4be7b7d04ba6bcecdd702025-02-03T05:47:45ZengWileyCase Reports in Medicine1687-96271687-96352011-01-01201110.1155/2011/571387571387Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to ManagementSean Donovan0Joseph Cernigliaro1Nancy Dawson2Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USADepartment of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USADepartment of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USAPneumatosis intestinalis (PI), defined as gas within the bowel wall, is an uncommon radiographic sign which can represent a wide spectrum of diseases and a variety of underlying diagnoses. Because its etiology can vary greatly, management of PI ranges from surgical intervention to outpatient observation (see, Greenstein et al. (2007), Morris et al. (2008), and Peter et al. (2003)). Since PI is infrequently encountered, clinicians may be unfamiliar with its diagnosis and management; this unfamiliarity, combined with the potential necessity for urgent intervention, may place the clinician confronted with PI in a precarious medical scenario. We present a case of pneumatosis intestinalis in a patient who posed a particularly challenging diagnostic dilemma for the primary team. Furthermore, we explore the differential diagnosis prior to revealing the intervention offered to our patient; our concise yet inclusive differential and thought process for rapid evaluation may be of benefit to clinicians presented with similar clinical scenarios.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/571387
spellingShingle Sean Donovan
Joseph Cernigliaro
Nancy Dawson
Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to Management
Case Reports in Medicine
title Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to Management
title_full Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to Management
title_fullStr Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to Management
title_full_unstemmed Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to Management
title_short Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Case Report and Approach to Management
title_sort pneumatosis intestinalis a case report and approach to management
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/571387
work_keys_str_mv AT seandonovan pneumatosisintestinalisacasereportandapproachtomanagement
AT josephcernigliaro pneumatosisintestinalisacasereportandapproachtomanagement
AT nancydawson pneumatosisintestinalisacasereportandapproachtomanagement