Citation

Luna GK, Eddy AC. Pediatr. Emerg. Care 1988; 4(1): 30-31.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3362731

Abstract

Pneumoperitoneum following blunt abdominal trauma in the absence of other signs of severe intraabdominal injury is a rare finding. Although the vast majority of all cases of pneumoperitoneum are due to a ruptured intraabdominal hollow viscus, free abdominal air may result from significant barotrauma to the thorax. This type of secondary pneumoperitoneum can occur in the absence of chest x-ray evidence of a pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum. The complications associated with a missed visceral injury warrant an exploratory laparotomy, even if an extraabdominal source for the pneumoperitoneum is suspected.

Language: en