J. Snape et al., PNEUMATOSIS COLI - AN UNCOMMON BUT TREATABLE CAUSE OF FECAL INCONTINENCE, International journal of clinical practice, 52(7), 1998, pp. 501-503
Pneumatosis intestinalis is defined as the presence of gas within the
bowel wall. Small bowel pneumatosis is less commonly reported and more
severe than colonic disease in adults. Pneumatosis coli is characteri
sed by multiple collections of encysted gas occurring within the sub-m
ucosa and subserosa of the colon and rectum. It is an uncommon conditi
on which typically presents in late middle age and has been associated
with a number of gastrointestinal (e.g. pyloric stenosis, sigmoid vol
vulus and ischaemic bowel) and non-gastrointestinal (e.g chronic obstr
uctive pulmonary disease, depression and multiple sclerosis) diseases.
Some cases, however, are idiopathic or primary. Symptoms can include
diarrhoea, constipation, mucus per rectum, bleeding, flatus, abdominal
pain and, rarely, faecal incontinence, We report on two patients, one
of whom presented with faecal incontinence, the other who had trouble
some lower gastrointestinal symptoms including faecal incontinence. Bo
th responded well to continuous oxygen therapy.