Colitis

Case contributed by Dr Jeremy Jones ◉

Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Bloody diarrhoea for several days. Distended abdomen. No mass on examination.

Patient Data

Age: 9 months

Gender: Male

From the case: Colitis

X-ray

Frontal

Extensive pneumatosis. No evidence of perforation. No suggestion of ileocolic intussusception.

Case Discussion

Pneumatosis is rare in this agegroup. In non-neonate pediatrics, the causes include (from a series of 30 patients ¹):

non-infective colitis (32%)
enteric infection (27%)
ischemia (20%)
dysmotility (17%)

In this case, there was no evidence of infection or dysmotility. Lactate was normal. The child responded to steroid therapy and a presumed diagnosis of non-infective colitis was made. The cause was no identified and there were no further presentations.