Duration of pneumoperitoneum on chest radiograph after open colorectal surgery.
BACKGROUND
Postoperative pneumoperitoneum on a plain chest radiograph is a potentially important medicolegal document of possible complication. However, pneumoperitoneum may be observed without significance after intra-abdominal procedures.


METHODS
Between April 2001 and March 2002, 204 consecutive open laparotomies for colorectal surgery were studied. Sixty-three patients had 97 chest radiographs taken before the twenty-fifth postoperative day.


RESULTS
Only one patient had subdiaphragmatic air (height >20 mm) on the tenth postoperative day associated with a visceral perforation. Normal subdiaphragmatic pneumoperitoneum was observed on 11 films in 8 patients (13%). Small amounts of air (<15 mm high) were observed in 7 (15%) of 47 radiographs on days 0-5, in 4 (18%) of 25 radiographs on days 6-10, but in no radiograph of 24 after day 10.


CONCLUSIONS
Subdiaphragmatic pneumoperitoneum less than 20 mm high is often observed between the sixth and tenth postoperative days, without clinical importance.
Shatari
T
T
Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TH, UK. shatarit@aol.com
Clark
M A
MA
Keighley
M R B
MR
D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies