Acute gastric dilatation: a rare cause of portal venous gas

Abstract

Although a large number of pathologic conditions have been reported to accompany the visualization of portal venous gas, most cases are associated with bowel necrosis. Urgent surgical exploration has been recommended in all patients except those in whom portal venous gas is associated with ulcerative colitis [1 1. We report a patient in whom portal venous gas was associated with acute gastric dilatation, another condition that does not require surgical intervention if it is recognized early[2].