J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2018 Aug;29(4):385-389. 10.0000/jksem.2018.29.4.385.

Tension pneumoperitoneum during pneumatic reduction of pediatric intussusception: case report

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Room, Regional Emergency Center, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan, Korea. skdosada@uuh.ulsan.kr

Abstract

This paper presents a case report of tension pneumoperitoneum that occurred in a 4-month-old girl with intussusception during pneumatic reduction. Tension pneumoperitoneum is a rare but life threatening complication in air pressure enema that is commonly used to turn the intussuscepted bowel to its original position. The incidence of a simple pneumoperitoneum due to a bowel perforation associated with attempted pneumatic reduction for intussusception is as high as 4%. The simple pneumoperitoneum changed rapidly to tension pneumoperitoneum and immediate needle decompression was life-saving in this case. Similar to a tension pneumothorax, the diagnosis is clinical and management should not be delayed awaiting other confirmatory tests. The emergency physician must recognize this rare complication of pneumatic reduction and promptly treat the ensuing tension pneumoperitoneum after bowel perforation with immediate needle decompression as a part of the initial resuscitation.

Keyword

Intussusception; Pneumoperitoneum; Reduction

MeSH Terms

Air Pressure
Decompression
Diagnosis
Emergencies
Enema
Female
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Intussusception*
Needles
Pneumoperitoneum*
Pneumothorax
Resuscitation
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