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DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-925191
Pneumatosis Coli
T. E. YusufM. D.
Advanced Endoscopy Unit
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Blake 4 Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street
Boston
Massachusetts 02114
USA
Fax: +1-617-724-5997
Email: tyusuf@partners.org
Publication History
Publication Date:
27 April 2006 (online)
Figure 1 A 47-year-old man presented with a 2-week history of mid-abdominal pain. He denied having any fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed numerous air-filled cysts involving the splenic flexure of the colon (arrow), a finding consistent with pneumatosis coli. A colonoscopy examination was then performed, which revealed sigmoid diverticulosis.
Figure 2 Multiple large, intramural, cyst-like structures were seen at the level of the splenic flexure at colonoscopy.
Figure 3 Histopathologic examination of biopsy specimens revealed cystic air-filled spaces within the submucosa which were partially lined by clusters of foreign-body macrophages (hematoxylin & eosin stain, magnification × 10). A few weeks later the patient developed a perforated diverticulitis, which was managed medically; sigmoidectomy is planned.
T. E. YusufM. D.
Advanced Endoscopy Unit
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Blake 4 Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street
Boston
Massachusetts 02114
USA
Fax: +1-617-724-5997
Email: tyusuf@partners.org
T. E. YusufM. D.
Advanced Endoscopy Unit
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Blake 4 Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street
Boston
Massachusetts 02114
USA
Fax: +1-617-724-5997
Email: tyusuf@partners.org
Figure 1 A 47-year-old man presented with a 2-week history of mid-abdominal pain. He denied having any fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed numerous air-filled cysts involving the splenic flexure of the colon (arrow), a finding consistent with pneumatosis coli. A colonoscopy examination was then performed, which revealed sigmoid diverticulosis.
Figure 2 Multiple large, intramural, cyst-like structures were seen at the level of the splenic flexure at colonoscopy.
Figure 3 Histopathologic examination of biopsy specimens revealed cystic air-filled spaces within the submucosa which were partially lined by clusters of foreign-body macrophages (hematoxylin & eosin stain, magnification × 10). A few weeks later the patient developed a perforated diverticulitis, which was managed medically; sigmoidectomy is planned.