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Pneumoperitoneum

Case contributed by Dana Alnuaimi
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Presented to the emergency with severe abdominal pain and vomiting of two days duration. No past medical history of peptic ulcer disease.

Patient Data

Age: 25
Gender: Male
x-ray

A frontal erect chest x-ray showing free air under the diaphragm.

Case Discussion

Pneumoperitoneum is defined as the presence of air in the peritoneal cavity. The most common cause is due to hollow viscus perforation . An erect chest radiograph is the most sensitive radiograph in detecting free intra-peritoneal air.

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