title: [Pneumoperitoneum after cardiac surgery. A complete anamnesis is the clue].
abstract: Herein we present the case of an 82 year-old patient undergoing cardiac surgery for mitral valve replacement. Fifteen years earlier, the patient had undergone surgery to replace his aortic valve, so that it was now a cardiac reoperation. Through sternotomy, and release of pericardial adherences, there was an accidental opening of a small portion of the peritoneum, proceeding to repair with simple suture. Postoperatively, the presence of pneumoperitoneum alarmed about the possibility of an intra-abdominal complication but it was subsequently discarded with recent surgical process. Through this article we review what the pneumoperitoneum consist, its causes and management, as well as highlighting possible etiologies sometimes not considered as a recent cardiac surgery, simply because the patient in found in different contexts and we do not think about those possibilities.
authors: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España. Electronic address: elearnaiz@hotmail.com.
authors: María Elena
authors: ME
authors: Arnáiz-García
authors: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España.
authors: Jose María
authors: JM
authors: González-Santos
authors: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Cantabria, España.
authors: Ana María
authors: AM
authors: Arnáiz-García
authors: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: López-Rodríguez
authors: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España.
authors: María José
authors: MJ
authors: Dalmau-Sorlí
authors: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España.
authors: María E
authors: ME
authors: Bueno-Codoñer
authors: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España.
authors: Adolfo
authors: A
authors: Arévalo-Abascal
authors: Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Cantabria, España.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Arnáiz
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Cardiac surgery; Causas; Causes; Cirugía cardiaca; Management; Manejo; Neumoperitoneo; Pneumoperitoneum