title: Traumatic pneumoperitoneum following combined abdominal and thoracic injury.
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.
authors: Department of Surgery, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle.
authors: G K
authors: GK
authors: Luna
authors: A C
authors: AC
authors: Eddy
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*