Mucosal pseudolipomatosis: an air pressure-related colonoscopy complication

Colonic mucosal pseudolipomatosis: Are we aware of it?

“…Some authors have suggested that this results from mechanical mucosal injury such as stretching, abrasive trauma, biopsy, or overinflation of the colon during colonoscopy, leading to the penetration of the luminal gas into the bowel wall (2,10). Some other authors have also suggested that insufficient rinsing of endoscopes implicate an effect of disinfectants, especially hydrogen peroxide, in the pathogenesis of this lesion.…”

“…The term "colonic pseudolipomatosis" was proposed by Snover et al (1) in 1985 and was defined as being microscopically similar to mucosal lipomatosis but not composed of adipocytes. The lesion has a low frequency in patients undergoing colonoscopy (2).…”

Pneumatosis intestinalis in AIDS: an unreported complication

“…Fulminant PI may be complicated by volvulus, pneumoperitoneum, intestinal obstruction or perforation, intussusception and gastrointestinal haemorrhage 2,5 . The diagnosis of PI is made radiographically, 2 by colonoscopy, 7 or at laparotomy.…”

Multiple Raised White Plaques in the Right Colon

“…One theory views pseudolipomatosis as a mechanical complication related to air pressure during colonoscopic air inflation similar to pneumatosis intestinalis. 7 A possible histological dichotomy has been suggested by Nakosono and co-workers for pseudolipomatosis lesions. One subtype is described as uniformly sized vacuoles in the upper portion of lamina propria without involvement of submucosa and lymph follicles while the other subtype has more variation in the size of air vacuoles and is mainly seen in the lower portion of lamina propria and occasionally submucosa and is related to lymph follicles with a predilection for involvement of ileocecal valve area.…”