A case of recurrent pneumoperitoneum and pneumatosis intestinalis after bilateral lung transplant

Abstract

We report a case of a 60-year-old male patient with recurrent episodes of free gas in the peritoneal and the retroperitoneal cavities as well as pneumatosis intestinalis 3 months after bilateral lung transplant. Interestingly, despite staged laparotomy within the scope of the first episode, no cause for free gas could be found. In a second episode of symptomatically pneumatosis, a conservative treatment with metro - nidazole was performed successfully. Despite several case reports on patients with pneumatosis intestinalis after lung transplant, an effective treatment strategy has not yet been proposed.