Oxygen therapy in pneumatosis coli. What is the minimum oxygen requirement?

Breathing high concentrations of oxygen at atmospheric pressure has been effective in achieving prompt objective and subjective relief in pneumatosis coli. A 22-year-old man was treated with 40% oxygen--a smaller concentration than used by previous physicians--supplied through a nonrebreathing mask. During meals, oxygen was given at 5 1/minute by nasal cannula. Oxygen therapy was maintained for seven days. A year after treatment the patient was still asymptomatic and free from disease. Using this therapeutic measure the benefit/risk ratio of oxygen therapy could be increased.