The development of intramural intestinal gas may indi-cate a serious postoperative complication and thereforeany radiological indication of such "pneumatosis intes-tinalis"(PI) in an unwell patient after sur...The development of intramural intestinal gas may indi-cate a serious postoperative complication and thereforeany radiological indication of such "pneumatosis intes-tinalis"(PI) in an unwell patient after surgery shouldput the clinical team on high-alert. However immedi-ate recourse to relook laparotomy may not be alwaysnecessary and, further, in some cases may possiblyaccelerate the deterioration especially if it proves to benon-therapeutic. Careful and close clinical monitoring,as is described in this clinical report, may allow discrimi-native identification of those in whom this finding is infact transient and therefore benign and who thereforecan be successfully treated without operative re-inter-vention. We describe the presenting features and back-ground scenario of PI early after laparoscopic total col-ectomy for medically refractory, severe ulcerative colitisand detail the critical postoperative decision pivots.展开更多
文摘The development of intramural intestinal gas may indi-cate a serious postoperative complication and thereforeany radiological indication of such "pneumatosis intes-tinalis"(PI) in an unwell patient after surgery shouldput the clinical team on high-alert. However immedi-ate recourse to relook laparotomy may not be alwaysnecessary and, further, in some cases may possiblyaccelerate the deterioration especially if it proves to benon-therapeutic. Careful and close clinical monitoring,as is described in this clinical report, may allow discrimi-native identification of those in whom this finding is infact transient and therefore benign and who thereforecan be successfully treated without operative re-inter-vention. We describe the presenting features and back-ground scenario of PI early after laparoscopic total col-ectomy for medically refractory, severe ulcerative colitisand detail the critical postoperative decision pivots.