Pneumoperitoneum

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Frontal chest X-ray. The air bubble below the right hemidiaphragm (on the left of the image) is a pneumoperitoneum.

[edit] Description

Pneumoperitoneum is air or gas in the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity, usually seen on x-ray. The most common cause is a perforated abdominal viscus, generally a perforated ulcer, although any part of the bowel may perforate from a benign ulcer, tumor or trauma. A perforated appendix seldom causes a pneumoperitoneum.

A pneumoperitoneum is deliberately created by the surgical team in order to perform laparoscopic surgery. This is achieved by insufflating the abdomen with carbon dioxide.