A case of pneumoperitoneum secondary to pneumatosis intestinalis : is surgery always indicated ?

Abstract EN

We report a case of an eighty-five-year-old male who presented with abdominal distension and vomiting.

Examination revealed the presence of peritoneal signs, with abdominal and pelvic CT confirming PI of the small bowel, a relatively rare condition.

The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy, during which, a segment of the terminal ileum was resected and an ileostomy was fashioned.

The patient, unfortunately, died one month postoperatively due to postoperative complications.

This case demonstrates the need for risk stratification guidelines to decide conservative or surgical management in cases of PI in this age group.