Successful Conservative Treatment of Pneumatosis Intestinalis and Portomesenteric Venous Gas in A Patient With Septic Shock

Received 23 April 2009; accepted 15 June 2009.

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) and portomesenteric venous gas (PMVG) are alarming radiological findings that signify bowel ischemia. The management of PI and PMVG remain a challenging task because clinicians must balance the potential morbidity associated with unnecessary surgery with inevitable mortality if the necrotic bowel is not resected. The combination of PI, portal venous gas, and acidosis typically indicates bowel ischemia and, inevitably, necrosis. We report a patient with PI and PMVG caused by septic shock who completely recovered after conservative treatment.

Key Words: bowel ischemia , computed tomography , pneumatosis intestinalis , portal venous gas , portomesenteric venous gas

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References

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a Department of Radiology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Er-Lin branch, Taipei, Taiwan

b Department of Gastroenterology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

c Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

d Department of Radiology, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr Ran Chou Chen, Department of Radiology, Taipei City Hospital Renai branch, 10 Section 4, Renai Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan

PII: S1607-551X(10)70016-4

doi:10.1016/S1607-551X(10)70016-4

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