title: Pneumomediastinum following anastomotic leakage in colon surgery: a case report and literature review.
abstract: We are presenting the case of a 62-year-old woman who developed a pneumomediastinum as a complication of anastomotic leakage (AL) following laparoscopic sigmoid resection due to diverticulitis. The patient presented with retroperitoneal air, pneumomediastinum, emphysematous gall bladder, air in the wall of stomach, and proximal small bowel. There were a few tiny air bubbles around the anastomosis. We discuss this unusual clinical presentation of intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal air as a presenting sign of AL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, P.O. Box 7805 (37), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Omar A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Al Obeed
mesh_terms: D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000601:surgery*; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008478:Mediastinal Emphysema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed