Oxygen therapy for pneumatosis coli. Symptomatic and radiologic remission of colonic gas cysts after breathing high-concentration oxygen.
Pneumatosis coli in a 72-year-old woman caused severe incapacitation by diarrhoea and faecal incontinence. Treatment consisted of oxygen via a Venturi mask to give arterial oxygen tension c. 32.5 kPa. It was well tolerated and resulted in symptomatic and radiologic cure within 7 days. Knowledge of this treatment and correct diagnosis are important for avoidance of unnecessary surgery.
D000368:Aged; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011006:Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011859:Radiography