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Case Reports
. 2013 Apr;5(2):132-4.
doi: 10.4021/jocmr929w. Epub 2013 Feb 25.

Acute abdominal pain and radiological pneumoperitoneum - always an indication for laparotomy?

Christopher Buckle  1 , Christopher Holdridge, Tina Xu, Falah Akhwais, Aaditya Sinha, Sudeendra Doddi, Prakash Sinha
Affiliations
Case Reports

Acute abdominal pain and radiological pneumoperitoneum - always an indication for laparotomy?

Christopher Buckle et al. J Clin Med Res. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Pneumoperitoneum in the presence of acute abdominal pain is well recognised as an indication for laparotomy. We present a case of acute abdominal pain in the presence of an incidental pneumoperitoneum secondary to the rupture of pneumatosis intestinalis. We will discuss the importance of clinical context in the diagnosis and management of pneumoperitoneum and pneumatosis intestinalis.

Keywords: Conservative management; Laparotomy; Pneumatosis intestinalis; Pneumoperitoneum.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Erect chest x-ray demonstrating free gas under the right and left hemi-diaphragms.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Coronal section of an abdominal computerised tomography demonstrating extensive intramural gas (white arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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