Is surgical exploration necessary in asymptomatic intestinal pneumatosis after lung transplantation?

Abstract

Pneumatosis intestinalis is described as gas within the bowel wall and can be a sign of bowel ischaemia with a pending perforation. The described patient presented with the incidental diagnosis of pneumatosis intestinalis with free intraperitoneal gas on CT scan. His medical history included a successful lung transplantation. We here describe the clinical decision-making and evaluate our case with previous cases in the literature.

Keywords: drug therapy related to surgery; gastrointestinal surgery; respiratory system; unwanted effects / adverse reactions.