Case of pneumatosis intestinalis and hepatic portal venous gas following a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy.

Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) in most cases signifies either mechanical migration of air into the portal system due to bowel ischaemia (pneumatosis intestinalis) or portal sepsis due to gas-forming organisms. Successful management of portal sepsis involves early identification of the condition, intensive resuscitation, broad-spectrum antibiotics and a laparotomy for possible bowel ischaemia. In this report, we discuss the case of a patient with pneumatosis intestinalis and HPVG after an elective laparoscopic right hemicolectomy.