title: Fatal pneumoperitoneum caused by nasopharyngeal oxygen delivery after transoesophageal echocardiography for cardiac surgery.
abstract: We report a case of fatal post-operative pneumoperitoneum in a patient who had undergone urgent mitral valve surgery. In the absence of a proven cause of the pneumoperitoneum (refusal by the family of an autopsy), we can only propose a hypothesis for its origin. The most probable one is that forceful or sustained retrograde flexion of the transoesophageal echocardiographic probe created a lower oesophagus or gastric rupture and that oxygen flow administered by the nasal cannula went straight to the abdominal cavity, leading to tension pneumoperitoneum.
authors: Department of Anesthesia, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Mourissoux
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Schlumberger
authors: P
authors: P
authors: De Lentdecker
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fischler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000209:etiology*; D012421:Rupture
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen