International Journal of Medical Laboratory Research (IJMLR)

A RARE CASE OF SMALL BOWEL PNEUMATOSIS INTESTINALIS

​

Nidhya Ganesan, S Vidhyalakshmi, RK Kartikayan, M Muruganand 

 

ABSTRACT: Pneumatosisintestinalis (PI) also called as pneumatosis coli/ pneumatosiscystoidesintestinalis) is the presence of multiple gas/ air filled cysts in the bowel wall. The pathogenesis is poorly understood and is probably multifactorial. The presentation may be either an incidental diagnosis or may be associated with various gastrointestinal diseases. We report a case of 76- year- old male presented with intestinal obstruction symptoms, diagnosed to be small bowel PI associated with lymphangiectasia. In this report we emphasize the pathogenesis of PI due to lymphatic disruption.

 

KEY WORDS: Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis, lymphangiectasia, Crohn’s disease

​

REFERENCES:

1. Donovan S, Cernigliaro J, Dawson N. Pneumatosisintestinalis: a case report and approach to management. Case Rep Med.2011;2011:571387.

2. Gui X,Zhou Y, Eidus L, Falck V, Gao ZH, Qin L. Is pneumatosiscystoidesintestinalisgas-distended and ruptured lymphatics? Reappraisal by immunohistochemistry. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2014;138:1059–66.

3. Staudacher V, Bencini A. Experimental and histologic contribution to thepathogenic study of intestinal cystic pneumatosis. SurgGynaecol Obstet. 1951;92(suppl):42–43.

4. Haboubi NY, Honan RP, Hasleton PS, et al. Pneumatosis coli: a case reportwithultrastructural study. Histopathology. 1984;8(1):145–155.

5. Albayrak Y, Aslan S, Kurt A, Bayraktutan UG. Pneumatosisintestinalis developing in association with Crohn's disease and mimicking gastrointestinal system perforation. . 2011; 13(1):62–63.

6. Galandiuk S, Fazio VW, Petras RE. Pneumatosiscystoidesintestinalis in Crohn's Disease.Report of two cases. Dis colon Rectum.1985;28(12):951-  6.

7. Bareggi E, Tonolini M, ArdizzoneS.Pneumatosisintestinalis and perforation in Crohn's disease: worrisome or not?.JCrohns Colitis. 2014 Apr; 8(4):338-9.

8. Suarez V, Chesner IM, Price AB, Newman J. Pneumatosiscystoidesintestinalis. Histological mucosal changes mimicking inflammatory bowel disease. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1989 Aug;113(8):898-901.PMID:2757491.

9. Pedica F, Ligorio C, Tonelli P, Bartolini S, Baccarini P. Lymphangiogenesis in Crohn's disease: an immunohistochemical study using monoclonal antibody D2-40. Virchows Arch. 2008 Jan;452(1):57-63.

10. Emily Harris and Giovanni Giannotti. Is pneumatosiscystoidesintestinalis a lymphatic pathology?.A case of small bowel lymphangioma and subsequent development of pneumatosiscystoidesintestinalis in a 57-year-old female. Journal of Surgical Case Reports, 2019;1, 1–3.