Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review

Pneumoperitoneum in a preterm neonate usually indicates perforation of the intestine and is considered a surgical emergency. However, there are cases of pneumoperitoneum with no evidence of rupture of the intestine reported in the literature. We report a case of pneumoperitoneum with no intestinal p...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Prabhavathi Gummalla, Gratias Mundakel, Maksim Agaronov, Haesoon Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Pediatrics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/6907329
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832552339431489536
author Prabhavathi Gummalla
Gratias Mundakel
Maksim Agaronov
Haesoon Lee
author_facet Prabhavathi Gummalla
Gratias Mundakel
Maksim Agaronov
Haesoon Lee
author_sort Prabhavathi Gummalla
collection DOAJ
description Pneumoperitoneum in a preterm neonate usually indicates perforation of the intestine and is considered a surgical emergency. However, there are cases of pneumoperitoneum with no evidence of rupture of the intestine reported in the literature. We report a case of pneumoperitoneum with no intestinal perforation in a preterm neonate with respiratory distress syndrome who was on high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). He developed bilateral pulmonary interstitial emphysema with localized cystic lesion, likely localized pulmonary interstitial emphysema, and recurrent pneumothoraces. He was treated with dexamethasone to wean from the ventilator. Pneumoperitoneum developed in association with left sided pneumothorax following mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Pneumoperitoneum resolved after the pneumothorax was resolved with chest tube drainage. He died from acute cardiorespiratory failure. At autopsy, there was no evidence of intestinal perforation. This case highlights the fact that pneumoperitoneum can develop secondary to pneumothorax and does not always indicate intestinal perforation or require exploratory laparotomy.
format Article
id doaj-art-0f596b540986467abfc69ed120325649
institution Kabale University
issn 2090-6803
2090-6811
language English
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Case Reports in Pediatrics
spelling doaj-art-0f596b540986467abfc69ed1203256492025-02-03T05:58:51ZengWileyCase Reports in Pediatrics2090-68032090-68112017-01-01201710.1155/2017/69073296907329Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature ReviewPrabhavathi Gummalla0Gratias Mundakel1Maksim Agaronov2Haesoon Lee3Department of Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Kings County Hospital Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USADepartment of Pathology, Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY, USADepartment of Pathology, Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY, USADepartment of Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Kings County Hospital Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USAPneumoperitoneum in a preterm neonate usually indicates perforation of the intestine and is considered a surgical emergency. However, there are cases of pneumoperitoneum with no evidence of rupture of the intestine reported in the literature. We report a case of pneumoperitoneum with no intestinal perforation in a preterm neonate with respiratory distress syndrome who was on high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). He developed bilateral pulmonary interstitial emphysema with localized cystic lesion, likely localized pulmonary interstitial emphysema, and recurrent pneumothoraces. He was treated with dexamethasone to wean from the ventilator. Pneumoperitoneum developed in association with left sided pneumothorax following mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Pneumoperitoneum resolved after the pneumothorax was resolved with chest tube drainage. He died from acute cardiorespiratory failure. At autopsy, there was no evidence of intestinal perforation. This case highlights the fact that pneumoperitoneum can develop secondary to pneumothorax and does not always indicate intestinal perforation or require exploratory laparotomy.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/6907329
spellingShingle Prabhavathi Gummalla
Gratias Mundakel
Maksim Agaronov
Haesoon Lee
Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review
Case Reports in Pediatrics
title Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review
title_full Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review
title_fullStr Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review
title_full_unstemmed Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review
title_short Pneumoperitoneum without Intestinal Perforation in a Neonate: Case Report and Literature Review
title_sort pneumoperitoneum without intestinal perforation in a neonate case report and literature review
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/6907329
work_keys_str_mv AT prabhavathigummalla pneumoperitoneumwithoutintestinalperforationinaneonatecasereportandliteraturereview
AT gratiasmundakel pneumoperitoneumwithoutintestinalperforationinaneonatecasereportandliteraturereview
AT maksimagaronov pneumoperitoneumwithoutintestinalperforationinaneonatecasereportandliteraturereview
AT haesoonlee pneumoperitoneumwithoutintestinalperforationinaneonatecasereportandliteraturereview