1/39. Tension pneumoperitoneum: a report of 4 cases.Four cases of tension pneumoperitoneum are described. In 3 patients this condition followed a perforation of a grossly distended caecum. In 2 of these patients there was an associated malignant neoplasm of the pelvic colon with obstruction. The third patient had a pseudo-obstruction of the transverse colon. The fourth patient had a tension penumoperitoneum with associated surgical emphysema in the neck and subcutaneous tissues of the abdomen and chest walls, following perforation of a duodenal ulcer. The aetiology, presentation and management, together with the mechanism of tension pneumoperitoneum, are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/39. pneumoperitoneum caused by a perforated peptic ulcer in a peritoneal dialysis patient: difficulty in diagnosis.peritonitis due to viscus perforation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients can be catastrophic. We describe the first reported case of perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) in a PD patient. This 78-year-old man presented with a 1-day history of mild abdominal pain. He had been receiving nocturnal intermittent PD for 2 years and had ischemic heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver. pneumoperitoneum and peritonitis were documented, but the symptoms were mild. The "board-like abdomen" sign was not noted. air inflation and contrast radiography indicated a perforation in the upper gastrointestinal tract, and laparotomy disclosed a perforation in the prepyloric great curvature. Unfortunately, the patient died during surgery. This case illustrates that the "board-like abdomen" sign may be absent in PD patients with PPU because of dilution of gastric acid by the dialysate. Free air in the abdomen, although suggestive of PPU, is also not uncommon in PD patients without viscus perforation. Because PD has to be discontinued after laparotomy and exploratory laparotomy may be fatal in high-risk patients, other diagnostic methods should be used to confirm viscus perforation before surgery. PPU, which can be proved by air inflation and contrast radiography, should be suspected in PD patients with pneumoperitoneum and peritonitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/39. transillumination for the diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum.transillumination of the abdomen with a cold fibreoptic light source was used for the rapid diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum in a sick premature infant with necrotising enterocolitis. The diagnosis was confirmed at laparotomy. The neonate survived the surgical procedure of resection and anastomosis of the perforated gut. Although additional diagnostic investigations such as x-rays and paracentesis of the abdomen were also positive in this case, transillumination of the abdomen proved to be a useful tool for early diagnosis. transillumination thus is a valuable modality for early diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum, especially where facilities for in-house x-rays are not available.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/39. Colonoscopic perforation: its emergency treatment.One of the accepted complications of colonoscopy is perforation. This is known to occur in greater frequency in patients having undergone previous pelvic or colonic surgery, as well as patients suffering from diverticulosis. A case is presented of colonic perforation during diagnostic examination in an area of adhesions secondary to pelvic surgery. Immediately after the perforation, the patient entered into vascular collapse and respiratory distress, with a distended abdomen. The introduction of a large bore intravenous catheter into the abdominal cavity with the release of the pneumoperitoneum resulted in an instantaneous return of vital signs and the patient subsequently underwent surgery and recovered. It is felt that this method of emergency treatment can be life-saving in a patient perforating during colonoscopy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/39. Pneumatosis [correction of pneumocystis] cystoides intestinalis with pneumoperitoneum and pneumoretroperitoneum in a patient with extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease.pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is a rare finding of intramural gasfilled cysts in the bowel wall and sometimes free air in the abdomen. A few conditions are reported to cause this disease, one of them being immunosuppression. We describe a 50-year-old Caucasian male with extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) of the gut and skin who developed PCI with pneumoperitoneum and pneumoretroperitoneum. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PCI occurring in a patient with active chronic GVHD which resolved spontaneously.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/39. Generalized peritonitis with pneumoperitoneum caused by the spontaneous perforation of pyometra without malignancy: report of a case.Spontaneous perforation is a very rare complication of pyometra. We report herein the case of an 88-year-old woman who presented with muscular rigidity and free air on abdominal X-ray films. Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract was diagnosed preoperatively, and an emergency laparotomy was performed. A total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was carried out under the diagnosis of generalized peritonitis caused by the spontaneous perforation of pyometra. The culture of purulent fluid from the abdominal cavity showed only escherichia coli, with no anaerobic bacteria. Histological examination revealed pyometra with necrosis of the endometrium and no evidence of malignancy. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 68 without any major complications. pyometra is an unusual cause of peritonitis, but it must be considered as a possible diagnosis in elderly women presenting with an acute abdomen. Following this case report, we discuss the problems associated with establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis of generalized peritonitis caused by the spontaneous perforation of pyometra.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/39. Tension pneumoperitoneum: case report and review of the literature.Tension pneumoperitoneum in an 81-year-old man resulted from the perforation of an ulcer on the posterior aspect of the first stage of the duodenum into the lesser sac. This condition, though rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the massively distended abdomen. A number of different causes of this condition have been reported, most of which are associated with various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Treatment is early laparotomy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/39. Gastric perforation presenting as bilateral scrotal pneumatoceles.Although processus vaginalis is patent in the majority of newborn infants, the expression of an intraabdominal pathology such as gastrointestinal perforation or bleeding in the scrotum is very rare. In a large percentage of neonates with the gastrointestinal perforation, pneumoperitoneum is absent. In any case, it may not be detected in early radiographs. We report a newborn baby who presented with bilateral scrotal pneumatoceles as a first sign of pneumoperitoneum due to gastric perforation. Plain x-ray of the abdomen was normal except for pneumoscrotum, but contrast study revealed gastric perforation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/39. Sexual activity as cause for non-surgical pneumoperitoneum.BACKGROUND: pneumoperitoneum is usually seen after bowel perforations and surgical procedures. An increasing number of cases of non-surgical pneumoperitoneum related to sexual activity has been reported worldwide over the last years. CASE EXAMPLE: A typically young, otherwise healthy woman comes into the emergency department of Stanford University, california, complaining of recurrent chest pain. Free air under the diaphragm disclosed in the X-ray usually leads to intensive, costly and invasive diagnostics sometimes resulting in emergency laparotomy without any results. Finally, after thorough discussion of the sexual history of the patient is taken, vaginal insufflation during sexual activity is revealed as the cause of non-surgical pneumoperitoneum. DISCUSSION: patients are often unaware of the open access between the vagina and abdomen. insufflation pressure during vaginal insufflation with >100 mm Hg--used as a diagnostic tool in CO2-pertubation--can dilate genital organs and push remarkable amounts of air into the abdomen. Gas resorption can take up to several days, and the patient often does not connect the pain to its cause. Embarrassment and modesty often prevent the patient from talking about sexual activity. CONCLUSION: Sexual pneumoperitoneum is not a bizarre sex accident but a rare and serious patho-mechanism. In cases of atypical non-surgical pneumoperitoneum in sexually active women, a careful inquiry into the medical-sexual history can reveal the cause of pathophysiology without comprehensive, painful and unnecessary diagnostics. Sexual history as a diagnostic tool should always be considered in unclear cases.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/39. pneumoperitoneum following the spontaneous rupture of a gas-containing pyogenic liver abscess: report of a case.We report herein the case of a ruptured liver abscess that resulted in pneumoperitoneum. A patient with diabetes mellitus presented with symptoms of acute abdomen. The plain abdominal radiograph and computed tomography findings revealed abdominal free air and a gas-containing liver abscess, whereby a diagnosis of a ruptured liver abscess was made. An emergency operation was performed, and the abscess was drained followed by peritoneal lavage and the administration of appropriate antibiotics. To the best of our knowledge, very few cases of spontaneous pneumoperitoneum occurring secondary to the rupture of a gas-containing liver abscess have been encountered in japan.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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