NCT01639170

Abdominal Free Air After Surgery

Intra-abdominal Free Air on a Plain Radiograph After Surgery. Could it be a Finding That May Predict Gastrointestinal Perforation?

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 600 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Federico II University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate if the presence of abdominal free air on a plain chest radiograph predicts gastrointestinal perforation. We aimed to enroll all patients undergoing abdominal surgery reporting major symptoms and signs suggestive of gastrointestinal perforation (abdominal pain, leukocytosis, fever) within the third postoperative day.

Conditions

• Prediction of Gastrointestinal Perforation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
RADIATION	chest radiograph	All enrolled patients underwent erect chest x-rays assessment. In all cases the diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum was based upon the plain film identification of subdiaphragmatic air on the upright posteroanterior chest radiograph. All patients were transported from their hospital rooms to the radiology department in wheelchairs and remained in an upright position for more than 10 min before the chest radiographs were obtained. In all cases upright posteroanterior was obtained with the patient standing, using 183-cm distance, 125 kVp, phototimed exposure, and radiographic film with a wide exposure latitude. The disappearance of intraabdominal free gas will be evaluated every 48h and will be defined as the loss of the

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-06-01
• Primary completion: 2012-06-01
• First posted: 2012-07-12
• Last updated: 2012-07-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Italy