Spontaneous pneumoperitoneum: Diagnostic and management difficulties
- 8 December 2010
- journal article
- case report
- Published by Wiley in Emergency Medicine Australasia
- Vol. 22 (6), 568-570
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-6723.2010.01357.x
Abstract
Acute abdominal pain is a common presentation to the ED. Most patients undergo a chest radiograph as part of their initial investigations, which occasionally reveals pneumoperitoneum. Pneumoperitoneum on imaging suggests a perforated hollow abdominal viscus and therefore often constitutes a surgical emergency. However, if the patient is neither peritonitic nor septic a management dilemma is faced. Some cases of pneumoperitoneum might be managed conservatively thus avoiding unnecessary laparotomy. We present a case of recurrent spontaneous pneumoperitoneum with abdominal pain that was managed conservatively and discuss the possible aetiologies and management issues of spontaneous pneumoperitoneum.This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit:
- Does pneumoperitoneum always require laparotomy? Report of six cases and review of the literaturePediatric Surgery International, 2005
- Pneumoperitoneum: A review of nonsurgical causesCritical Care Medicine, 2000