Subcutaneous emphysema of the thorax heralding colonic perforation

• Published in: The Annals of thoracic surgery Vol. 71; no. 4; pp. 1341 - 1343
• Main Authors: Catarino, Pedro A, Smith, Edward E.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.04.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Colonic Diseases - complications; Colonic Diseases - diagnosis; Colonic Diseases - surgery; Coronary Artery Bypass - adverse effects; Coronary Artery Bypass - methods; Coronary Disease - surgery; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease Progression; Fatal Outcome; Female; Humans; Intestinal Perforation - complications; Intestinal Perforation - diagnosis; Intestinal Perforation - surgery; Laparotomy - methods; Medical sciences; Pneumoperitoneum - diagnosis; Pneumoperitoneum - etiology; Pneumoperitoneum - surgery; Subcutaneous Emphysema - diagnosis; Subcutaneous Emphysema - etiology; Subcutaneous Emphysema - surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the heart; Human; Skin disease; Retroperitoneal; Pathophysiology; Perforation; Thorax; Retroperitoneal disease; Colonic disease; Case study; Treatment; Aortocoronary; Bypass; Surgery; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Complication; Graft; Colon; Subcutaneous tissue; Emphysema
• ISSN: 0003-4975; 1552-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(00)02155-X

Subcutaneous emphysema of the thorax may follow thoracic operations for a number of essentially benign reasons and does not usually cause much concern to the thoracic surgeon. We report subcutaneous emphysema of the thorax heralding a retroperitoneal colonic perforation in a patient who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting 3 days previously.