Auscultation with an esophageal stethoscope. A new test for pneumoperitoneum.

Auscultation for the tympanic sound characteristic of developing pneumoperitoneum during insufflation of the abdomen at laparoscopy was performed with an esophageal stethoscope. Such auscultation detected pneumoperitoneum as soon as or sooner than did the other, standard methods to which it was compared. This test requires no additional maneuvers beyond those routine in standard laparoscopic and anesthetic procedures, providing a useful adjunctive test for pneumoperitoneum acquisition.