Pneumoperitoneum

Pneumoperitoneum
Frontal chest X-ray. The air bubble below the right hemidiaphragm (on the left of the image) is a pneumoperitoneum.
Classification and external resources
Specialty	gastroenterology
ICD-10	K66.8
ICD-9-CM	568.89, 770.2
DiseasesDB	31511
eMedicine	radio/562
MeSH	D011027

Another pneumoperitoneum on chest X-ray.

Pneumoperitoneum seen on X-ray with the patient lying on his left side.

Pneumoperitoneum is pneumatosis (abnormal presence of air or other gas) in the peritoneal cavity, a potential space within the abdominal cavity. When present, it can often be seen on radiography, but small amounts are often missed, and CT scan is nowadays regarded as a criterion standard in the assessment of a pneumoperitoneum.^[1] CT can visualize quantities as small as 5 cm³ of air or gas. The most common cause is a perforated abdominal viscus, generally a perforated peptic ulcer, although any part of the bowel may perforate from a benign ulcer, tumor or abdominal trauma. A perforated appendix seldom causes a pneumoperitoneum.

In the mid-twentieth century, an "artificial" pneumoperitoneum was sometimes intentionally administered as a treatment for a hiatal hernia. This was achieved by insufflating the abdomen with carbon dioxide. The practice is currently used by surgical teams in order to perform laparoscopic surgery.

Causes

Perforated duodenal ulcer - The most common cause of rupture in the abdomen. Especially of the anterior aspect of the first part of the duodenum.
Perforated peptic ulcer
Bowel obstruction
Ruptured diverticulum
Penetrating trauma
Ruptured inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. megacolon)
Necrotising enterocolitis/Pneumatosis coli^[2]
Bowel cancer
Ischemic bowel
Steroids
After laparotomy
After laparoscopy
Breakdown of a surgical anastomosis
Bowel injury after endoscopy
Peritoneal dialysis
Vaginal insufflation (air enters via the fallopian tubes, e.g. water-skiing, oral sex^[3])
Colonic or peritoneal infection
From chest (e.g. bronchopleural fistula)
Non-invasive PAP (positive airway pressure) can force air down duodenum as well as down trachea.

Differential diagnosis

Subphrenic abscess, bowel interposed between diaphragm and liver (Chilaiditi syndrome), and linear atelectasis at the base of the lungs can simulate free air under the diaphragm on a chest X-ray.

References

↑ Ali Nawaz Khan. "eMedicine.com: Pneumoperitoneum".
↑ Necrotizing Enterocolitis Bugs, Drugs and Things That Go Bump in the Night
↑ Sexual Activity as Cause for Non-Surgical Pneumoperitoneum

Diseases of the digestive system (primarily K20–K93, 530–579)

Upper GI tract

Esophagus	Esophagitis Candidal Eosinophilic Herpetiform Rupture Boerhaave syndrome Mallory-Weiss syndrome UES Zenker's diverticulum LES Barrett's esophagus Esophageal motility disorder Nutcracker esophagus Achalasia Diffuse esophageal spasm Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) Esophageal stricture Megaesophagus

Stomach	Gastritis Atrophic Ménétrier's disease Gastroenteritis Peptic (gastric) ulcer Cushing ulcer Dieulafoy's lesion Dyspepsia Pyloric stenosis Achlorhydria Gastroparesis Gastroptosis Portal hypertensive gastropathy Gastric antral vascular ectasia Gastric dumping syndrome Gastric volvulus

Lower GI tract:
Intestinal/
Enteropathy

Small intestine (Duodenum/Jejunum/Ileum)	Enteritis Duodenitis Jejunitis Ileitis Peptic (duodenal) ulcer Curling's ulcer Malabsorption: Coeliac Tropical sprue Blind loop syndrome Small bowel bacterial overgrowth syndrome Whipple's Short bowel syndrome Steatorrhea Milroy disease bile acid malabsorption

Large intestine (Appendix/Colon)	Appendicitis Colitis Pseudomembranous Ulcerative Ischemic Microscopic Collagenous Lymphocytic Functional colonic disease IBS Intestinal pseudoobstruction / Ogilvie syndrome Megacolon / Toxic megacolon Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis

Large and/or small	Enterocolitis Necrotizing Gastroenterocolitis IBD Crohn's disease Vascular: Abdominal angina Mesenteric ischemia Angiodysplasia Bowel obstruction: Ileus Intussusception Volvulus Fecal impaction Constipation Diarrhea Infectious Intestinal adhesions

Rectum	Proctitis Radiation proctitis Proctalgia fugax Rectal prolapse Anismus

Anal canal	Anal fissure/Anal fistula Anal abscess Anal dysplasia Pruritus ani

GI bleeding/BIS

Accessory

Liver	Hepatitis Viral hepatitis Autoimmune hepatitis Alcoholic hepatitis Cirrhosis PBC Fatty liver NASH Vascular Budd-Chiari syndrome Hepatic veno-occlusive disease Portal hypertension Nutmeg liver Alcoholic liver disease Liver failure Hepatic encephalopathy Acute liver failure Liver abscess Pyogenic Amoebic Hepatorenal syndrome Peliosis hepatis Metabolic disorders Wilson's Disease Hemochromatosis

Gallbladder	Cholecystitis Gallstones/Cholecystolithiasis Cholesterolosis Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses Postcholecystectomy syndrome Porcelain gallbladder

Bile duct/ Other biliary tree	Cholangitis Primary sclerosing cholangitis Secondary sclerosing cholangitis Ascending Cholestasis/Mirizzi's syndrome Biliary fistula Haemobilia Gallstones/Cholelithiasis Common bile duct Choledocholithiasis Biliary dyskinesia Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction

Pancreatic	Pancreatitis Acute Chronic Hereditary Pancreatic abscess Pancreatic pseudocyst Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency Pancreatic fistula

Abdominopelvic

Hernia	Diaphragmatic Congenital Hiatus Inguinal Indirect Direct Umbilical Femoral Obturator Spigelian Lumbar Petit's Grynfeltt-Lesshaft Undefined location Incisional Internal hernia

Peritoneal	Peritonitis Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis Hemoperitoneum Pneumoperitoneum

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Pneumoperitoneum

Causes

Differential diagnosis

See also

References