title: Benign persistent pneumoperitoneum in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: We describe a 50-year-old Chinese woman who had severe gastrointestinal manifestations from systemic sclerosis complicated by spontaneous pneumoperitoneum in the absence of either visceral perforation or pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. This is a rare complication of systemic sclerosis; only four other cases have been reported. Recognition of this condition is important so as to avoid unnecessary surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jeyamalar
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000209:etiology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology