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Pneumoperitoneum in peritoneal dialysis patients
G C Cancarini1, O Carli, M R Cristinelli
1Division of Nephrology, University of Brescia and Spedali Civili, Italy.
Journal of Nephrology
|June 23, 1999
Summary
Pneumoperitoneum in peritoneal dialysis patients is uncommon, often caused by catheter or bag exchange errors, not gastrointestinal perforation. Diagnosis is best achieved with computed tomography, not standard X-rays.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Radiology
Background:
- Pneumoperitoneum in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients lacks defined prevalence and clinical significance.
- Gastrointestinal perforation is a less common cause of pneumoperitoneum in PD patients compared to non-PD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of pneumoperitoneum in PD patients.
- To investigate the causes and diagnostic methods for pneumoperitoneum in PD patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 403 chest X-rays from 118 PD patients (1995-1996).
- Literature review on pneumoperitoneum causes in PD patients.
Main Results:
- Pneumoperitoneum detected in 3.7% of X-rays (5 patients, 4.2%).
- Likely causes included faulty bag exchange (2 cases) and extension tube exchange (3 cases).
- Gastrointestinal perforation accounts for 0-11% of pneumoperitoneum episodes in PD patients; abdominal operations and catheter manipulation are more common causes.
Conclusions:
- Pneumoperitoneum is infrequent in PD patients and rarely due to gastrointestinal perforation.
- Computed tomography offers higher sensitivity than standard X-ray for diagnosing pneumoperitoneum.