Pneumatosis Intestinalis: Autopsy Finding

This is a case of a patient with bowel obstruction, imaging studies were suggestive for pneumatosis intestinalis. Clinically diagnosed as adhesion band and pnematosis intestinalis. She underwent laparatomy, enterolysis, obstructionolysis and enterorrhaphy. The patient developed respiratory distress and expired after 2 days. At autopsy we found gray-brown discoloration in the wall of some part of small bowel and flattening of mucus membrane. Grossly multiple gas-filled cysts were seen at the serosal surface. Microscopic evaluation of small intestine wall showed multiple cysts located in submucosal and serosal layers.