[Pneumatosis intestinalis in anorexia nervosa: a case report].

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is identified as the accumulation of gas within the wall of the small or large intestine. It was first described by Du Vernoi in 1783. The pathogenesis is supposed to be multifactorial. It is assumed that there are 3 paths of disease development: mechanical, bacterial and biochemical. Adult patients are mostly asymptomatic and PI is diagnosed frequently by different radiological methods. The treatment of patients depends on their clinical picture. Most patients can be treated only with antibiotics and elemental diet. In a small number of cases, surgical intervention is essential. We report about a 35-year-old female patient with anorexia nervosa who developed PI after an excessive use of chewing gum for 3 years.