Prediction of Gastrointestinal Perforation
Conditions
Keywords
Pneumoperitoneum, Free air, Surgery, Perforation, Radiograph
Brief summary
The aim of this study is to evaluate if the presence of abdominal free air on a plain chest radiograph predicts gastrointestinal perforation. We aimed to enroll all patients undergoing abdominal surgery reporting major symptoms and signs suggestive of gastrointestinal perforation (abdominal pain, leukocytosis, fever) within the third postoperative day.
Interventions
RADIATIONchest radiograph
All enrolled patients underwent erect chest x-rays assessment. In all cases the diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum was based upon the plain film identification of subdiaphragmatic air on the upright posteroanterior chest radiograph. All patients were transported from their hospital rooms to the radiology department in wheelchairs and remained in an upright position for more than 10 min before the chest radiographs were obtained. In all cases upright posteroanterior was obtained with the patient standing, using 183-cm distance, 125 kVp, phototimed exposure, and radiographic film with a wide exposure latitude. The disappearance of intraabdominal free gas will be evaluated every 48h and will be defined as the loss of the
Sponsors
Federico II University
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Abdominal surgery and major symptoms and signs suggestive of gastrointestinal perforation within the third postoperative day.
Exclusion criteria
* inability to consent to the study, age ≤18 yr, certain or probable pregnancy, inability to remain in upright position for more than 10 minutes.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| prediction of gastrointestinal perforation | Within 3 days from surgery | • Prediction of the presence of gastrointestinal perforation by the finding of intra-abdominal free air on a chest radiograph after abdominal surgery |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| time taken for the absorption of intra-abdominal free air | within 3 days from surgery | The evaluation of time taken for the absorption of intra-abominal free air and its correlation with age, sex, body mass index, previous surgery, operative time, type of surgery and use of peritoneal drainage tubes. The disappearance of intra-abdominal free gas was defined as the loss of the gas bubble under the domes of the hemidiaphragms on an erect chest radiograph |
Countries
Italy
Contacts
Primary ContactFrancesco Milone, Prof
Outcome results
None listed