title: Gastric intramural and portal venous gas following blunt abdominal injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastric emphysema or pneumatosis is a rare finding. Early endoscopy and urgent laparotomy is advised in post-trauma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 29 year old man presented with blunt abdominal injury following a high-speed motorbike crash He complained of abdominal pain and abdomen was distended. CT abdomen revealed air in the gastric wall with disruption of gastric mucosa. He had normal white cell counts, bleeding parameters and blood gases. He was treated conservatively with nasogastric decompression, intravenous analgesics and antibiotics with which he recovered well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early surgical management is indicated in post-trauma patients in whom bowel infarction is suspected. In a stable patient, a negative laparotomy is a major additional stress post trauma - conservative management with close clinical observation is a suitable management alternative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: Indrani
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: Inian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Samarasam
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: Sudhakar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandran
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mathew
keywords: Air; Blunt Trauma; Gastric