A case of massive gastric necrosis in a young girl with Rett Syndrome

This is the unusual case of a 17-year-old girl affected by Rett Syndrome (RS) who suffered acute abdominal distension and constipation for a week. Laparotomy showed massive gastric dilatation, with total necrosis and perforation. Total gastrectomy and Y-Roux esophagojejunostomy were performed. We believe the clinical status was caused by the mechanism of air swallowing, present in our patient and typical in RS. In fact, as reported, massive air bloat may result in a decrease of the intramural blood flow with consequential ischemia of the gastric wall. We stress the importance of early detection of the gastroenterological symptoms in these patients, with timely positioning of nasogastric tube and gastrostomy, to prevent serious complications potentially life-threatening as massive gastric necrosis.