Tension pneumoperitoneum caused by intestinal perforation from underlying colon cancer: a case report

Tension pneumoperitoneum, a form of abdominal compartment syndrome, is an important clinical condition. Increased pressure in the intraperitoneal cavity leads to respiratory and circulatory instability. Most of the reported cases include complications due to active air infusion into the peritoneal cavity or trauma; however, few reports are available on tension pneumoperitoneum caused by perforation from colon cancer. We present a case of a patient with tension pneumoperitoneum caused by gastrointestinal perforation owing to colon cancer.

A 63-year-old Japanese man with altered mental state was brought to our emergency department. He was in shock, and an abdominal radiograph suggested gastrointestinal perforation. Despite rapid fluid infusion and inotropic support, his condition deteriorated. His abdomen was tensely distended; abdominal computed tomography showed significant intra-abdominal gas. Following immediate needle decompression, his circulatory status improved. Emergent laparotomy revealed an approximately 10-cm tumor (adenocarcinoma) in the colon, which caused the perforation.

A perforated wall or the surrounding omental fat that acts as a one-way valve could lead to tension pneumoperitoneum without active air infusion. Although tension pneumoperitoneum is a life-threatening condition, it is reversible if prompt diagnosis and immediate decompression are performed. Physicians should always consider this condition as one of the causes of shock or cardiopulmonary arrest, even without an apparent medical history of active air infusion or trauma.