Pneumatosis intestinalis in children with leukaemia; report of three cases.

Three children with leukaemia (one with acute myeloid, two with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia) developed pneumatosis intestinalis during cytostatic treatment. The aetiology of pneumatosis intestinalis in these children could not be elucidated. Pneumatosis intestinalis may be caused by entry of gas into a bowel wall which is altered by steroid or cytostatic treatment. Otherwise, anaerobic bacteria may produce gas in the intestinal walls, therefore we treated all children with metronidazole.