Tension pneumoperitoneum in a child resulting from high-frequency oscillatory ventilation: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

An 18-month-old male infant was placed on high-frequency oscillatory ventilation for profound hypoxemia and subsequently developed tension pneumoperitoneum. He underwent a bedside exploratory laparotomy for suspected perforated viscous. No intestinal perforation was identified, and a diagnosis of tension pneumoperitoneum secondary to pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis was made. To our knowledge, this is the only report of a pediatric patient developing tension pneumoperitoneum from high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. A review of the literature examines the differential diagnosis, physiology, and treatment of tension pneumoperitoneum.