title: An avoidable abdominal surgery: pneumatosis coli.
abstract: We report on the case of a 90-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with constipation for 1 week and abdominal fullness for 2 days. Abdominal plain film radiography disclosed intramural air in the colon, which indicated pneumatosis coli (PC). Exploratory laparotomy was performed immediately under the impression of ischemic bowel disease. Through examination of the mesentery, the intestine and colon revealed no sign of perforation and ischemia. Surgery for PC is limited to patients with signs of perforation, peritonitis, intra-abdominal abscess, or bowel ischemia. Conservative treatment with oxygen supply, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and antibiotics remain to be the mainstay for most patients with PC.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei 111, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Bor-Hen
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chien-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tzong-Luen
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chee-Fah
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Chen-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011006:Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures