Pneumoperitoneum due to PCI in a patient with a strangulated femoral hernia

Although pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a well-recognised condition, an individual surgeon is unlikely to encounter it often. The collected experience of two surgical units in Glasgow teaching hospitals over a 15-year period consisted of five patients. Surgical and radiological trainees may therefore have little or no exposure to the diagnostic difficulties this condition can cause. We report an illustrative case.