Adult survival with intrahepatic portal venous gas secondary to acute gastric dilatation, with a review of portal venous gas.

The radiological observation of hepatic portal venous gas on plain abdominal radiography, ultrasonography or computed tomography is a highly significant finding. Its cause warrants urgent diagnosis and will usually require surgical management. Current overall mortality rate associated with this sign is 75%. A case of acute gastric dilatation with hepatic portal venous gas in an adult who survived without surgery is presented. Patients having this sign after double-contrast barium enemas with quiescent inflammatory bowel disease have also been reported to survive without surgery.