Conservative Management of Spontaneous Pneumoperitoneum in an Immature Neonate: Report of a Case.

Jeon,  Jee Hyun; Lee,  Hyeon Soo

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Neonatology 2000;7(2):171-175.
Published online January 1, 2001.

Conservative Management of Spontaneous Pneumoperitoneum in an Immature Neonate: Report of a Case.

Jee Hyun Jeon, Hyeon Soo Lee

Department of Pediatrics, Daejin Medical Center, Pundang Jesaeng General Hospital, Sungnam, Korea.

Abstract

The finding of extraluminal gas on plain abdominal radiogram is usually associated with a perforated viscus, and an emergency laparatomy is indicated. But we report herein an immature neonate with spontaneous pneumoperitoneum that was treated successfully with conservative management, although this infant she showed positive result in stool occult blood test. As this case shows, the finding of pneumoperitoneum is not of a surgical emergency, because there are many benign explanations for pneumoperitoneum. A through history taking and physical examination are most important in differentiating between surgical and nonsurgical pneumoperitonium.

Key Words: Pneumoperitoneum; Nonsurgical pneumoperitoneum; Peritonitis; Conservative management