Conservative management in a spontaneous pneumoperitoneum post breast augmentation and abdominoplasty: a rare case report

This case report discusses a 32-year-old woman with no significant medical history who underwent elective bilateral breast reduction with auto-augmentation and abdominoplasty. Initially, her recovery was smooth, but on the third postoperative day, she exhibited tachycardia, tachypnea, and mild shortness of breath, while other vital signs remained stable. A chest X-ray revealed pneumoperitoneum, and a subsequent abdominal CT confirmed moderate pneumoperitoneum without gastrointestinal leakage. Due to the lack of peritoneal signs and normal bowel sounds, conservative management was chosen. Over 2 days, her condition improved, and she was discharged without complications. This case emphasizes the need to recognize nonsurgical pneumoperitoneum after recent abdominal surgery and suggests that conservative management can be effective in the absence of perforation. This report is the first documented instance of spontaneous pneumoperitoneum following breast augmentation and abdominoplasty, highlighting the need for awareness in similar cases.