Pneumatosis is common in most people. In the international classifier of diseases pneumatosis is absent, as it is a sign of the disease. If the symptom is not remedied in time, the disease that accompanies it can progress and lead to the development of dangerous consequences.
Concept of
Disease Pneumatics is used to designate the condition of internal organs when air( gas) cavities or cysts develop in them.
Usually the air cavity develops in the wall of the internal organ, but untimely eliminated pathology can cover the peritoneum, lymph nodes or intestinal mesentery.
Localization and symptomatology
Intestinal pneumonia in adults and children
The degree of symptoms depends on the amount of accumulated gases in the intestine. Not the last place in the manifestation of signs of the disease is the localization of gas formations.
Single gas clusters with a clear localization in one area show a different character compared to the scale gas concentrations throughout the intestinal mucosa. The most frequent localization of gases is found in two sections of the small intestine: ileocecal and iliac.
The progress of intestinal disease is judged by the rate of increase in symptoms. Differentiating intestinal pneumatosis without carrying out additional diagnostic techniques is difficult.
Signs of the formation of gases are determined by the pathological phenomena accompanying pneumatosis. The first pointer to pneumatic processes in the intestine is its swelling and enlargement of the walls.
In medical practice, this phenomenon is called meteorism. The increase in the lumen of the intestine is due to the high pressure of the gases, which expand the walls and are accompanied by intestinal colic. During colic, the patient experiences severe pains such as fights that do not have a clear localization.
During gas accumulations in the intestine, there is a violation of fecal excretion. Characteristic of either the occurrence of constipation, or a strong dilution of feces( diarrhea).In severe pneumatosis, defecation is absent due to intestinal obstruction.
The development of this form of pneumatosis can lead to perforation of the intestinal wall and inflammation of the peritoneum( peritonitis).
Peritonitis is a life-threatening disease, accompanied by pallor and blue skin. The patient suddenly begins to experience severe pain, the absence of signs of peristaltic movements.
Arterial blood pressure drops sharply, blood supply to internal organs is impaired. Most patients experience attacks of nausea and vomiting, some of them produce gases with eructations. In the gastric region of the patient, peritonitis is often marked in the abdomen.
Stomach
Gastric pneumonitis manifests by the release of a large number of gases accompanied by loud belching. Signs that precede eruption are absent, therefore its character is sudden.
Frequent burp can be a consequence of neuropsychiatric processes. Gastric regurgitation is accompanied by a feeling of overflow of the stomach even with minimal or moderate consumption of food.
Pneumonia pain can radiate into the chest cavity and resemble anginal attacks.
Nausea and vomiting accompanying pneumatosis are explained by increased pressure of gases in the abdominal cavity and irritation of the baroreceptors.
Liver
About pneumatosis of the liver, if at a palpation examination the patient shows air cavities resembling cysts or tumors.
The cavities in composition do not contain toxic gases or the concentration of substances that differ in their quantitative and qualitative state from the gas composition of the atmosphere.
With increasing palpation, gas bubbles emit the sound of a bursting ball. Radiographic studies revealed the presence of light bands or space in the hepatic-diaphragmatic area with the patient's vertical position. Accepting the horizontal position displaces the air cavities, which are inaccessible to X-rays.
The patient with pneumatosis of the liver is accompanied by extensive pain in the abdominal area, the urge to vomit, bloating and constipation.
Lung
Pneumonia of the lung is known in medical practice as emphysema of the lungs. The pathological condition of the lungs develops due to the defeat of pulmonary alveoli and the association of several vesicles into a larger cellular structure. It is possible that the expansion of the pulmonary vesicle before the large formation, which is noticeable on the roentgenogram.
Characteristic symptoms for pulmonary emphysema are cyanosis of the lips and cyanosis of the skin, a change in the shape of the chest, which acquires a barrel-shaped type. Patients with pulmonary emphysema have fewer respiratory movements, swelling of intercostal spaces and supraclavicular areas.
Characteristic breathing with emphysema - a sharp, sharp breath and a long exhalation. Severe stages of pulmonary emphysema are accompanied by cyanosis of not only the skin but also nails and tongue, which is a serious worrying symptom for a patient's life.
Patients with emphysema spend a lot of effort on respiratory movements, which is why they lose weight during the illness.
Causes of pathology
The etiology of the pneumatosis symptom is associated with a kind of disease that caused its manifestation. Normally, gases must penetrate through the single-layered epithelium of the blood capillaries and be carried to the lungs and other organs. Pneumosis of the intestine is accompanied by a violation of the intestinal absorption of gases and their accumulation in the form of cavities.
Pneumosis of the gastrointestinal tract develops due to the following circumstances:
- In children, the causes of pneumatosis are more often associated with a violation of the regime and quality of nutrition, food poisoning.
- In pathologies of the digestive system or after radical treatment of the organs or the abdominal cavity, when air after stitching remains in the cavities or organs. The consequences of surgery are also related to the lack of peristaltic movements.
- Excess gas release is associated with the activity of pathogenic microorganisms in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Intestinal obstruction, hernia, spasm of intestinal wall, developing malignant tumor or polyps.
Pathological accumulations of gases occur with acute appendicitis, colitis.
In pulmonary emphysema, substances of tobacco smoke, contaminated air, dust, cement and other building dust can serve as triggers for pneumatosis.
Diagnosis
Early diagnosis begins with palpation and detection of signs of pneumatosis. The doctor also compares the entire clinical picture and listens to the patient's complaints( anamnesis).
An x-ray examination is then given. In palpation, usually a cyst or cavity with air is detected in accordance with the exact location of the pathology.
The photo shows ultrasound in which the intestinal pneumonia
is seen. For the differentiation of the diagnosis, which reveals pneumatosis, an endoscopic examination of the inner lining of the digestive organ is required.
How to treat pneumatosis of the intestines, stomach, liver and lungs?
Medications
Treatment of pathologies associated with pneumatosis begins with the establishment of a diagnosis and treatment of established pathology. In connection with the secondary nature of the process of accumulation of gases, therapy is carried out to the accompanying disease.
When infectious agents are detected, they are sown with a subsequent species identification and resistance to antibiotics. The presence of spasm predetermines the appointment of drugs - antispasmodics( No-Shpa, Papaverin, etc.).
Detection of constipation is the basis for prescribing laxatives. Intestinal obstruction can cause perforation of the intestine, so urgent surgery is indicated. Operative treatment is also shown in peritonitis, after operation, drainage of the abdominal cavity is applied.
In addition, other symptoms of the disease accompanying pneumatosis( carminative, antidiarrhoeal and other drugs) are eliminated.
Diet menus
A prerequisite for the treatment of pneumatosis is proper nutrition. To this end, exclude from the diet food products prone to excessive formation of gases or causing constipation( grapes, peas, cabbage, green apples and pears).They try to eat more often, but little by little.
The recommended products for intestinal pneumatosis are cereal products( porridges), fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, dairy products, fish and low-fat meat. Alcoholic beverages, spicy and fried foods are excluded.
With pneumatosis, it is advisable to take decoctions of their mint leaves, dishes or infusions with seeds of anise, flax, dill leaves and parsley.
Prognosis and prophylaxis of
In the early stages of pneumatosis development, the prognosis is favorable, in severe cases, the prognosis of the patient's condition depends on the promptness of the treatment.