Chronic Spontaneous Pneumoperitoneum with Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis of the Small and Large Intestine

Pneumoperitoneum can be an alarming radiological finding and a manifestation of a surgical emergency that warrant urgent intervention, or it can be a manifestation of chronic benign condition that can be managed conservatively. The sequela of misdiagnosing pneumoperitoneum due to surgical abdomen as a chronic benign pneumoperitoneum can be life-threatening and misdiagnosing chronic spontaneous pneumoperitoneum due to chronic condition as surgical emergency will lead to unnecessary surgical interventions. Diagnosis of chronic spontaneous pneumoperitoneum can be challenging to the unwary healthcare-providers. We present a case of chronic pneumoperitoneum secondary to pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis that has been managed conservatively.