The rare cases of pneumatic colorectal perforation: A cautionary tale of compressed air misuse.
Barotrauma is a medical condition caused by sudden pressure changes in the body causing damage to multiple parts of the body. However, it is an infrequent occurrence when it comes to Colo-rectal perforation, wherein the trauma occurs due to the insufflation of compressed air through the anus. Several factors influence the outcome of a patient with colonic perforation due to barotrauma such as the severity of the injury, hemodynamic status of the patient, the patient's general health and well-being, the time taken for active medical/ surgical intervention since the injury, aggressive intravenous antibiotics administration to prevent sepsis, post-operative complications like surgical site infection, post-op ileus, anastomotic leak, etc. Overall, the patient's prognosis largely depends on early diagnosis, effective initial resuscitation, timely surgical intervention, and intensive post-operative care for a favorable outcome. Recently, we came across 2 cases of extensive pneumoperitoneum with Colo-rectal perforation as a result of the forceful insufflation of compressed air through the anus. Prompt medical intervention was necessary to prevent any further complications and they underwent surgical repair of the colorectal perforation.
Authors
- V. S. Sundar
- Sam Jacob Chiramel
- Manimaran Govindarajan
- Balavignesh Durai
- M B Uppupettai Ganeshbabu
Institutions
- Saveetha University (IN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PubMed
- Published
- 2025-01-01
- Primary Topic
- Pneumothorax, Barotrauma, Emphysema
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00