European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

POST ESOPHAGODUODENOSCOPY PNEUMOPERITONEUM: SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED?

Adaugo Opiegbe MD, Odunayo S. Lawal MD, MHA* and Kenneth Iwuji MD

ABSTRACT

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding (UGIB) is a medical emergency with the preferred method for the diagnostic and therapeutic purpose being endoscopy. Argon plasma electrocoagulation is a highly effective endoscopic method of cauterizing bleeding vessels, and this functions by delivering high-frequency current through argon gas. This case features an elderly female who presented to the emergency department with a three-day symptom of hematemesis. She was managed using epinephrine injection and argon beam electrocautery which resulted in pneumoperitoneum as a complication of the procedure. Argon plasma electrocautery is more effective than other endoscopic interventions. However, pneumoperitoneum is a known serious complication of this intervention. In order to decrease the incidence of this type of complication, analyzing the risk factors for poor compliance and increased intra-abdominal pressure prior to the use of argon gas in the endoscopic procedure is important.

Keywords: Argon plasma electrocautery is more effective than other endoscopic interventions.