Benign pneumatosis intestinalis in a child with cavopulmonary shunt and immune thrombocytopenic purpura

✍ Scribed by Lindsay Burns; Erich C. Maul

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 119 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1553-5592
• DOI: 10.1002/jhm.484

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

We present the case of a nine‐year‐old boy with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and immune thrombocytopenic purpura who subsequently developed pneumatosis intestinails with a benign clinical examination. While benign pneumatosis intestinails is a well‐known clinical entity, the alarming radiographic findings set off a cascade of clinical angst among many providers. This case reminds physicians to correlate the ancillary study results with the patient's clinical presentation and stability. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:E41–E42. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.