Clinical analysis of 20 cases of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To review the experiences of diagnosis and treatment of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI), and study the clinical characteristics of the disease in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment. Methods Clinical data from 20 patients with endoscopically confirmed PCI were retrospectively analyzed. They were admitted to the Chinese PLA General Hospital from June 1995 to June 2015. Results Among the patients 16 of them were male, and the other four were female. The main clinical manifestations were abdominal distention, diarrhea, abdominal pain and mucous bloody stool. The diagnosis relied mainly on colonoscopy and pathological examination. Laparoscopy assisted colorectal cancer resection was performed in 1 patient, laparostomy and repair of sigmoid colon perforation in 1, endoscopic treatment in 5 cases, drug administration and hyperbaric oxygen therapy in 2, drug treatment alone in 7, and no treatment in 4. Conclusions The final diagnosis depends on endoscopic findings. No treatment is recommended to patients with no symptoms. The management of patients with PCI includes antibiotics, oxygen therapy, endoscopic therapy, surgery, and appropriate therapy related to the underlying cause of PCI. The prognosis is good.