1/34. 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 = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/34. 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 = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/34. Tension pneumoperitoneum associated with a pleural-peritoneal shunt.The differential diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum is broad. We report a case of tension pneumoperitoneum in a patient on mechanical ventilation with initially unrecognized pneumothorax who had an indwelling pleural-peritoneal shunt. The patient developed ventilatory and hemodynamic collapse as air was diverted from the pleural space into the peritoneal cavity. Subsequent abdominal exploration revealed the source of the intra-abdominal air. Placement of a chest thoracostomy tube and removal of the pleural-peritoneal catheter resulted in significant clinical improvement. We suggest that it is important to recognize that pleural-peritoneal catheters may cause tension pneumoperitoneum without obvious concurrent pneumothorax.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/34. Handlebar hernia with intra-abdominal extraluminal air presenting as a novel form of traumatic abdominal wall hernia: report of a case.An 18-year-old male was admitted to our Emergency Department with a traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) of the left lower quadrant (LLQ) after suffering hypogastric blunt injury and urogenital lacerations in a motorcycle accident. Upright chest X-ray showed a small amount of right infradiaphragmatic free air, and a computed tomographic (CT) scan demonstrated an abdominal wall hernia. At surgery, no impairment was found in the digestive tract, and an abdominal herniorrhaphy was performed. It is suggested that the free air had passed through a connection between the scrotal laceration and the contralateral abdominal defect via the subcutaneous space and was palpated as emphysema. This is a new type of TAWH, which suggests that blunt abdominal trauma may result in negative pressure in the subcutaneous and peritoneal cavity, and this could reflect the pathophysiology of TAWH.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/34. Generalized peritonitis due to spontaneously perforated pyometra presenting as pneumoperitoneum: report of a case.We report a rare case of generalized peritonitis due to a ruptured pyometra in an 86-year-old woman, and also conduct a review of the previous Japanese literature. The patient presented with muscle guarding and rebound tenderness. Computed tomography (CT) disclosed a cystic mass in the peritoneal cavity, in which an air-fluid level was noted. pneumoperitoneum around the uterus due to gas production of anaerobic bacteria was noted on a CT. At laparotomy, the uterus was markedly enlarged with a necrotic area on the uterine fundus, which was found to be perforated. A supravaginal hysterectomy and drainage were performed. We found only eight cases of a ruptured pyometra presenting as pneumoperitoneum in the Japanese literature between 1977 and 1999. The most common cause of pneumoperitoneum is a perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. However, other possible causes, as seen in our patient, should also be taken into consideration. Although it is rare, a perforated pyometra should therefore also be considered when elderly women present with acute abdominal pain.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/34. Pneumatic colonic rupture accompanied by tension pneumoperitoneum.rupture of the colon caused by high pressure compressed air is a rare, unique and traumatic intra-abdominal injury. As the use of compressed air in industrial work has increased, so has the risk of associated pneumatic injuries from its improper use. Recently we experienced a case of pneumatic rupture of the sigmoid colon accompanied by tension pneumoperitoneum, which caused respiratory distress. The patient's respiration was very rapid with the rate of 44 breaths per minute. On arterial blood gas analysis, pH was 7.40, pO2 68 mmHg, pCO2 44 mmHg, and SaO2 90%. Chest x-ray film showed marked pneumoperitoneum and an elevated diaphragm. The respiratory distress was severe and required immediate relief by emergency decompression peritoneocentesis before surgical intervention consisting of the serosal tear repair, colonic rupture colostomy and abdominal cavity irrigation. A follow up operation 2 months later for colostomy repair completed the patient's recovery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/34. Dilemma in managing spontaneous pneumoperitoneum: a case report.pneumoperitoneum is often associated with an underlying severe life-threatening emergency. This emergency is always treated successfully by a surgical approach. When a patient situated in hopeless situation but is found with spontaneous pneumoperitoneum, it creates a dilemma. We deal with such a rare situation which occurred in a 58-year-old woman with recurrent cervical carcinoma. The patient received a radical hysterectomy, pelvic lymph node dissection and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy 10 years ago. Recurrent retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy and inguinal lymphadenopathy were suspected by computed tomography and proven by excision biopsy of inguinal lymph node. She received a complete course of concurrent chemoradiation therapy; however, clinically persistent disease was suspected although it was very difficult to prove. Unfortunately, the case was complicated by severe radiation fibrosis over the whole abdominal wall, poor appetite and urinary tract infection. She was treated with supportive care treatment. Nevertheless, the patient was attacked by spontaneous pneumoperitoneum during hospitalization and died later and autopsy of the patient showed military carcinomatosis of the abdominal cavity and lower abdominal wall without any evidence of internal hollow organ perforation and intraabdominal infection. The cause of death might be related to her carcinomatosis with severe chacexia. Because pneumoperitoneum is always considered as a surgical emergency, we reviewed the possible causes of non-surgical pneumoperitoneum to avoid an unnecessary surgical approach.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/34. Gas extravasation complicating laparoscopic extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair.carbon dioxide can extravasate from the abdominal cavity during insufflation and result in pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and subcutaneous emphysema. We report a case of unilateral pneumothorax with pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema after laparoscopic extraperitoneal bilateral inguinal hernia repair. Additionally, we discuss the pathophysiology, diagnostic work-up, and management of this malady. Because of the natural resolution of CO2 pneumothoraces, observation for asymptomatic patients is appropriate, whereas tube thoracostomy should be reserved for symptomatic patients. It is utmost importance to determine the etiology of gas extravastion and consider other complications such as airway or esophageal injury or pulmonary barotrauma.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/34. Free gas in the peritoneal cavity: the final hazard of diathermy.fires and explosions in the operating theatre are rare events, but are devastating in terms of structural damage to the equipment in theatres and to human lives. Fuel, oxygen, and source of ignition are the three factors causing explosion. Explosion during emergency laparotomy for perforated bowel has not been reported in the literature. In the case reported here, fuel in the form of free gas came from the perforated stomach, after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. oxygen used during cardiopulmonary resuscitation had entered the peritoneal cavity through the perforation. The source of ignition was diathermy. It was fatal.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/34. Sonographic diagnosis and successful nonoperative management of sealed perforated duodenal ulcer.We encountered a case of sealed perforated duodenal ulcer in a 75-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic renal failure. Abdominal sonography showed a bright linear echo within the thickened anterior wall of the duodenal bulb and the presence of free air at the anterior surface of the liver. We found no signs of direct communication between the duodenal lumen and the peritoneal cavity or any free fluid. On follow-up sonography performed every 2 days during the first week of the patient's hospitalization, no free fluid was found in the abdomen. The use of sonography to diagnose this patient's sealed perforated duodenal ulcer and to monitor the ulcer for the appearance of free fluid allowed us to provide successful nonsurgical management to this patient. We believe that the use of abdominal sonography in all patients suspected of having a perforated duodenal ulcer may help increase the diagnostic accuracy of this modality and may reduce the need for surgery in such patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = cavity (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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