title: Pneumoperitoneum in the newborn: is surgical intervention always indicated?
abstract: Pneumoperitoneum in the neonate generally is an acute surgical emergency, which has grave implications, and immediate surgical intervention is needed to ensure survival. The most common cause is a perforated hollow viscus. However, there are causes that cannot be attributed to this etiology, constituting what has been called non-surgical, asymptomatic, benign, misleading, spontaneous or idiopathic pneumoperitoneum. Knowledge of this entity and its likely aetiological factors should improve awareness and possibly reduce the imperative to perform an unnecessary emergency laparotomy on an otherwise normal neonate with an unexplained pneumoperitoneum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nims University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur-303121, Rajasthan.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nims University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur-303121, Rajasthan.
authors.forename: Shyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bihari Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nims University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur-303121, Rajasthan.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Golash
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nims University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur-303121, Rajasthan.
authors.forename: Ritesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nims University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur-303121, Rajasthan.
authors.forename: Dhawal
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gandhi
keywords: Conservative management; Newborn; Pneumoperitoneum; Spontaneous