Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis associated with massive free air mimicking perforated diffuse peritonitis.
While pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a rare disease entity associated with a wide variety of gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal disorders, PCI associated with massive intra- and retroperitoneal free air is extremely uncommon, and is difficult to diagnose differentially from perforated peritonitis. We present two cases of PCI associated with massive peritoneal free air and/or retroperitoneal air that mimicked perforated peritonitis. These cases highlight the clinical importance of PCI that mimics perforated peritonitis, which requires emergency surgery. Preoperative imaging modalities and diagnostic laparoscopy are useful to make an accurate diagnosis.
Sakurai
Yoichi
Y
Department of Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, 1-98 Dengakugakubo Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake Aichi 470-1192, Japan. ysakurai@fujita-hu.ac.jp
Hikichi
Masahiro
M
Isogaki
Jun
J
Furuta
Shinpei
S
Sunagawa
Risaburo
R
Inaba
Kazuki
K
Komori
Yoshiyuki
Y
Uyama
Ichiro
I
D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011006:Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed