Pneumatose intestinal

• Autor(a) principal: Veloso,Luiz Fernando
• Data de Publicação: 2001
• Outros Autores: Rodrigues,Marco Antônio Gonçalves
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-69912001000500013
• topic: Pneumatose Intestinal; Pneumatosis intestinalis; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinorum; Gas-filled colections; Intestines/cysts

Pneumatosis Intestinalis (PI) is the presence of gas-filled cysts within the wall of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). It is a clinical and/or radiological sign associated with a wide spectrum of diseases, so that it has a variable clinical significance. Probably, its prevalence is increasing. The nature of the diseases causing PI is been modifying in last decades. Peptic ulcers were its main cause in the past. Nowadays, probably, immunosuppressive conditions and states of increased permeability of the GIT mucosa (AIDS, transplanted patients or in chemotherapy, etc) are more common causes. PI can be shown on simple abdominal roentgenograms and computed tomographic scans obtained with lung windows. Its diagnosis include definition of the cause in addition to its presence. The treatment should be directed to the cause of the PI, fluctuating from expectant to emergency laparotomy. The present report is a contribution to the limited literature experience in this topic and calls attention to the importance of recognizing PI and its clinical significance in order to define the right conduct.