Pneumatosis coli (also known by such names as pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, and intestinal emphysema) is a condition that involves the presence of gas within the wall of the colon (
Figure 40-1). The more generic term pneumatosis intestinalis implies air in either the small or large bowel. This in itself is not a diagnosis but a sign of other diseases. The exact incidence is unknown because it is often found incidentally in asymptomatic patients, but it can be found in patients of all ages.
1 In children, it is most often associated with necrotizing…