[Intestinal pneumatosis and pneumoperitonum: not always a surgical indication]. / Neumatosis intestinal y neumoperitoneo: no siempre una indicación quirúrgica.

Pneumatosis intestinalis and pneumoperitoneum are not pathological entities in themselves, they are radiological signs that result from some underlying condition. In general, these are associated with serious intra-abdominal processes that result in emergency surgeries with bowel resections. Below, we present the case of an 80-year-old woman, diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer under treatment with fulvestrant and ribociclib, who was admitted to our center due to abdominal pain and vomiting. She was diagnosed with intestinal pneumatosis and pneumoperitoneum, so she underwent exploratory laparotomy for suspected intestinal ischemia. There was no evidence of intestinal necrosis or perforation, so resection was not performed. She progressed satisfactorily during hospitalization and in the tomographic control one month after discharge there was complete resolution of the condition. Although this condition has been described in relation to episodes of increased intra-abdominal pressure, such as emesis, it has also been described in patients with neoplasms, mainly of the digestive tract, either due to local damage or toxicity associated with chemotherapy. We found no reports in the literature of pneumatosis intestinalis linked to this antineoplastic medication in humans. Probably in our case the etiology was multifactorial. It is possible that ribociclib played a role, either through an indirect mechanism associated with vomiting and immunosuppression or directly on the enterocyte due to its non-specific cellular mechanism of action.

La neumatosis intestinal y el neumoperitoneo no son entidades patológicas en sí mismas, son signos radiológicos que resultan de alguna condición subyacente. En general, estos se asocian con procesos graves intraabdominales que resultan en cirugías de urgencias con resecciones de intestino. A continuación, presentamos el caso de una mujer de 80 años, con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama estadio IV en tratamiento con fulvestrant y ribociclib, que ingresó a nuestro centro por dolor abdominal y vómitos. Se diagnosticó neumatosis intestinal y neumoperitoneo por lo que se procedió a laparotomía exploradora por sospecha de isquemia intestinal. No hubo evidencia de necrosis o perforación intestinal por lo que no se realizó resección. Evolucionó durante la internación de forma satisfactoria y en el control tomográfico al mes del egreso hubo resolución completa del cuadro. Si bien está descrito esta afectación en relación a los episodios de aumento de presión intraabdominal, como en la emesis, también se describió en pacientes con neoplasias, principalmente del tubo digestivo, ya sea por daño local o por toxicidad asociada a la quimioterapia. No encontramos reportes en la literatura de neumatosis intestinal vinculada a esta medicación antineoplásica en humanos. Probablemente en nuestro caso la etiología haya sido multifactorial. Es posible que el ribociclib haya jugado un rol, ya sea por un mecanismo indirecto asociado a los vómitos y la inmunosupresión o directo sobre el enterocito debido a su mecanismo de acción celular no específico.

Spontaneous pneumoperitoneum in the absence of visceral perforation in a patient with systemic sclerosis: a case report.

We present the case of a 44 year old woman with systemic sclerosis who presented with intense abdominal pain without signs of peritonitis. An abdominal computed tomography showed generalized intestinal dilation, intestinal pneumatosis and an extensive pneumoperitoneum. A diagnostic laparoscopy was performed but no perforation nor gastrointestinal leakage were found. Spontaneous pneumoperitoneum in patients with systemic sclerosis without visceral perforation is an extremely rare complication. Physicians must have a low threshold of suspicion for this entity when a patient with systemic sclerosis presents with spontaneous pneumoperitoneum in the absence of peritoneal signs.

Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 44 años con diagnóstico de esclerosis sistémica, quien presentó dolor abdominal intenso sin datos de irritación peritoneal. Una tomografía computarizada de abdomen mostró dilatación generalizada de asas intestinales, neumatosis intestinal y neumoperitoneo extenso, por lo cual se realizó una laparoscopía diagnóstica, sin encontrar sitio de perforación. El neumoperitoneo espontáneo en pacientes con esclerodermia sin evidencia de perforación visceral es una complicación extremadamente rara. El médico deberá mantener un alto índice de sospecha para esta condición ante un paciente con esclerosis sistémica que se presente con un neumoperitoneo espontáneo sin datos de irritación peritoneal.

Efficacy of bowel ultrasound to diagnose necrotizing enterocolitis in extremely low birthweight infants.

BACKGROUND: Bowel ultrasound (US) is one of the methods used to enhance diagnostic accuracy of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and its associated complications in premature newborns. AIM: To explore the diagnostic accuracy of bowel US in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants with NEC. METHODS: A single-center retrospective case-control study included 84 extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. The infants were divided into three groups: Group 1 -infants with NEC (n = 26); Group 2 -infants with feeding problems (n = 28); Group 3 -control group (n = 30). RESULTS: The specific bowel US findings in premature newborns with NEC (stage 3) included bowel wall thinning, complex (echogenic) ascites, and pneumoperitoneum, p < 0.05. The diagnostic effectiveness of these sonographic signs was 96.8% (sensitivity 75.0% and specificity 97.6%), p < 0.05. These findings with high specificity were associated with the need for surgical intervention, poor outcomes, or increased mortality. Stage 2 NEC which did not require surgery showed impaired differentiation of the bowel wall layers, absent or decreased bowel peristalsis, pneumatosis intestinalis, portal venous gas, or simple ascites, with a diagnostic accuracy of 82.9% (sensitivity 55.6%, specificity 91.4%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Bowel US can be used as an adjunct to abdominal radiography to aid in the diagnosis of infants with suspected NEC by providing more detailed evaluation of the intestine.

Pneumoperitoneum, pneumoretroperitoneum and pneumomediastinum: rare complications of perforation peritonitis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Gas extravasation complications arising from perforated diverticulitis are common but manifestations such as pneumoperitoneum, pneumoretroperitoneum, and pneumomediastinum happening at the same time are exceedingly rare. This case report explores the unique presentation of these 3 complications occurring simultaneously, their diagnosis and their management, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for accurate diagnosis and effective management. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old North African female, with a medical history including hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, goiter, prior cholecystectomy, and bilateral total knee replacement, presented with sudden-onset pelvic pain, chronic constipation, and rectal bleeding. Clinical examination revealed hemodynamic instability, hypoxemia, and diffuse tenderness. After appropriate fluid resuscitation with norepinephrine and saline serum, the patient was stable enough to undergo computed tomography scan. Emergency computed tomography scan confirmed perforated diverticulitis at the rectosigmoid junction, accompanied by the unprecedented presence of pneumoperitoneum, pneumoretroperitoneum, and pneumomediastinum. The patient underwent prompt surgical intervention with colo-rectal resection and a Hartmann colostomy. The postoperative course was favorable, leading to discharge one week after admission. CONCLUSIONS: This case report highlights the clinical novelty of gas extravasation complications in perforated diverticulitis. The unique triad of pneumoperitoneum, pneumoretroperitoneum, and pneumomediastinum in a 74-year-old female underscores the diagnostic challenges and the importance of advanced imaging techniques. The successful collaboration between radiologists and surgeons facilitated a timely and accurate diagnosis, enabling a minimally invasive surgical approach. This case contributes to the understanding of atypical presentations of diverticulitis and emphasizes the significance of interdisciplinary teamwork in managing such rare manifestations.

Medical management of pneumoperitoneum, gastric pneumatosis, and hepatic venous gas secondary to 3% hydrogen peroxide toxicity in a dog.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the medical management and outcome of a dog suffering severe hydrogen peroxide toxicity. CASE SUMMARY: A 3-year-old neutered female Bichon Frise was presented to an emergency and referral practice after ingestion of 10-20 mL/kg 3% hydrogen peroxide. On presentation, the dog was obtunded, was tachypneic, and had severe gastric tympany. Abdominal radiographs revealed pneumoperitoneum, gastric pneumatosis, and hepatic venous gas. The dog was managed conservatively with supportive care and oxygen therapy. Repeat radiographs 6 hours later showed complete resolution of all gas inclusions. While hospitalized, the dog developed severe hematemesis, and abdominal ultrasound revealed severe gastric wall thickening. Subsequent endoscopy confirmed severe gastric mucosal necrosis without evidence of deeper ulceration and relatively mild petechiation of the esophagus. The dog was ultimately discharged after 5 days of hospitalization and continued to do well at home. Recheck ultrasound 5 weeks postdischarge showed normal gastric wall appearance. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of pneumoperitoneum secondary to hydrogen peroxide toxicity and the first description of the clinical course of severe toxicity in dogs.

Yield of abdominal radiographs in children with suspected intussusception; rate of pneumoperitoneum and other abdominal pathology.

OBJECTIVES: Ultrasound is the criterion standard imaging modality for the diagnosis of intussusception. However, to our knowledge the utility of abdominal radiographs to concurrently screen for pneumoperitoneum or other abdominal pathology that could have a similar presentation has not been studied. Our institutional protocol requires the performance of AP supine and left lateral decubitus views of the abdomen prior to ultrasound evaluation for intussusception, providing an opportunity to examine the yield of abdominal radiographs in this setting. Our primary objective was to determine the rate of pneumoperitoneum on screening abdominal radiographs in children undergoing evaluation for intussusception. Our secondary objective was to determine the rate that other clinically significant pathology is found on these screening abdominal radiographs. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients under 6 years of age who had any imaging ordered in our large urban pediatric emergency department to evaluate for suspected intussusception during the calendar years 2018-2020. RESULTS: 1115 patient encounters met our inclusion criteria. Among 1090 who had screening abdominal radiographs, 82 (8%) had findings concerning for intussusception. Of those not concerning for intussusception, 635 (58%) were read as normal, 263 (24%) showed moderate to large stool burden, 107 (10%) showed generalized bowel distention, and 22 (2%) showed abnormal gastric distention. Individually the remainder of all other findings compromised <1% of encounters and included radiopaque foreign body (8), intraabdominal calcification (4), pneumonia/effusion (3), pneumatosis intestinalis, abdominal mass (2), diaphragmatic hernia (1), rib fracture (1), appendicolith (1), feeding tube malposition (1), and bowel wall thickening (1). In one encounter the patient had a bowel perforation with pneumoperitoneum present secondary to ingestion of multiple magnets. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that radiograph-detected pneumoperitoneum is rare in children with suspected intussusception. Constipation is the most common abnormal finding on screening radiographs. Other findings occur in approximately 15% of total cases, some of which require further workup.

Point-of-care ultrasound evaluation of suspected necrotizing enterocolitis in the ED.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a rare but life-threatening diagnosis in infants presenting with bilious emesis, abdominal distension, or bloody stools. Ultrasonography has been advocated as an alternative initial imaging modality to abdominal radiography, and may be superior in the evaluation of NEC. We describe the use of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the evaluation of suspected NEC in the emergency department (ED) when the ability to obtain immediate abdominal x-ray (AXR) was delayed due to pandemic conditions. A pre-term infant with history of bowel resection presented with non-bilious emesis, bloody stools, and slight abdominal distension. Evaluation with PoCUS identified pneumatosis intestinalis and pneumoperitoneum, which were confirmed on subsequent AXR. Pneumatosis intestinalis in a neonate is highly suggestive of NEC, but seen by itself, can be associated with milk protein allergy and Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). Pneumoperitoneum is considered an indication for operative intervention for NEC. The infant was re-admitted to the NICU for suspected NEC. NEC is a rare, but potentially surgical diagnosis in infants as can be FPIES, but not milk protein allergy. NEC can be identifiable using PoCUS to search for a constellation of findings that include pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumoperitoneum, free peritoneal fluid, and portal venous gas. These findings have been previously described in the PoCUS literature for other diseases, but not for a case of suspected NEC presenting to the ED.

Intraoperative liver deformation and organ motion caused by ventilation, laparotomy, and pneumoperitoneum in a porcine model for image-guided liver surgery.

BACKGROUND: Image-guidance promises to make complex situations in liver interventions safer. Clinical success is limited by intraoperative organ motion due to ventilation and surgical manipulation. The aim was to assess influence of different ventilatory and operative states on liver motion in an experimental model. METHODS: Liver motion due to ventilation (expiration, middle, and full inspiration) and operative state (native, laparotomy, and pneumoperitoneum) was assessed in a live porcine model (n = 10). Computed tomography (CT)-scans were taken for each pig for each possible combination of factors. Liver motion was measured by the vectors between predefined landmarks along the hepatic vein tree between CT scans after image segmentation. RESULTS: Liver position changed significantly with ventilation. Peripheral regions of the liver showed significantly higher motion (maximal Euclidean motion 17.9 ± 2.7 mm) than central regions (maximal Euclidean motion 12.6 ± 2.1 mm, p < 0.001) across all operative states. The total average motion measured 11.6 ± 0.7 mm (p < 0.001). Between the operative states, the position of the liver changed the most from native state to pneumoperitoneum (14.6 ± 0.9 mm, p < 0.001). From native state to laparotomy comparatively, the displacement averaged 9.8 ± 1.2 mm (p < 0.001). With pneumoperitoneum, the breath-dependent liver motion was significantly reduced when compared to other modalities. Liver motion due to ventilation was 7.7 ± 0.6 mm during pneumoperitoneum, 13.9 ± 1.1 mm with laparotomy, and 13.5 ± 1.4 mm in the native state (p < 0.001 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS: Ventilation and application of pneumoperitoneum caused significant changes in liver position. Liver motion was reduced but clearly measurable during pneumoperitoneum. Intraoperative guidance/navigation systems should therefore account for ventilation and intraoperative changes of liver position and peripheral deformation.

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis as a rare cause of non-surgical pneumoperitoneum.

Pneumoperitoneum as a finding on imaging examinations is not always a sign of acute abdomen due to gastrointestinal perforation. These findings must be viewed in connection with the clinical condition and personal history of each patient because they may also indicate a non-surgical or spontaneous pneumoperitoneum. This condition is repeatedly described but very often neglected. This paper presents the case report of a patient with non-surgical pneumoperitoneum where, despite proceeding according to the guidelines, no expected intra-abdominal pathology explaining the patient's problems was found.

The role of multidetector computed tomography in predicting the site of gastroduodenal perforation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the value of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in detecting the location of gastroduodenal perforation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 47 patients who underwent contrast-enhancing MDCT and were diagnosed with gastroduodenal perforation during surgery between July 2021 and June 2022. Radiologic findings included pneumoperitoneum (distribution and quantity) and analyzed the image findings for localizing the site of gastroduodenal perforation. RESULTS: Pneumoperitoneum was the most common finding [95.74% (45 out of 47 patients)]. Regarding air distribution, the sensitivity (Se) and negative predictive value (NPV) of abdominal free air and supramesocolic free air were the highest (100% for both). The accuracy (Acc) of supramesocolic free air was the highest (93.6%), followed by abdominal free air (89.4%). Subphrenic free air also had a high Acc value (89.4%), with Se, specificity (Sp), and positive predictive value (PPV) being 90%, 85,7%, and 97.3%, respectively. The Sp PPV of falciform ligament/ligamentum teres sign, and periportal free air were also high (100% for both). In contrast, retroperitoneal free air was valuable in determining retroperitoneal duodenal perforation with an Sp, Se of 100%, and Acc of 89.4%. The thickness of abdominal free air was ≥5.5 mm, suggesting gastroduodenal perforation with a Se, Sp, PPV, NPV, and Acc of 82.5%, 100%, 100%, 50%, and 85.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Subphrenic free air, periportal free air, falciform ligament sign, and the air above transverse mesocolon were correlated to gastric and duodenal bulb perforation. Retroperitoneal air indicates the perforation at the retroperitoneal duodenum. The thickness of abdominal free air ≥5.5 mm indicates gastric and duodenal bulb perforation.

[Pneumobilia, pneumoperitoneum and pneumowirsung of traumatic etiology: Case report and review of the literature]. / Neumobilia, neumoperitoneo y neumowirsung de etiología traum ática: Reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura.

Pneumobilia is a phenomenon associated with the presence of a biliary-enteric fistula or manipulation of the bile duct during procedures or surgical interventions that cause dysfunction of the sphincter of Oddi. A known, but infrequently reported event, is the increase in intraabdominal pressure after closed abdominal trauma, which causes pneumobilia due to a mechanism of retrograde air leakage towards the bile duct. Depending on the general compromise of each patient, the prognosis can vary from a benign condition that only requires conservative management, to being life threatening. We present the case of a 75-year-old male patient who, after suffering a closed thoraco-abdominal trauma, presented with rib fracture and, in addition, gallbladder wall rupture, pneumoperitoneum, pneumobilia, and pneumowirsung, having a favorable clinical course after receiving conservative management.