Respiratory distress and chest pain: a perforated peptic ulcer with an unusual presentation

A Conservative Management of Perforated Peptic Ulcer: A Case Report

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a surgical emergency that affects the mucosal lining of the stomach or proximal intestine. Complications of PUD include upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, perforation, and obstruction. The primary management approach for perforated peptic ulcers is surgery, but conservative management can be conducted in selected cases. A 54-year-old female was referred to the surgical unit with a history of severe upper abdominal pain and repeated vomiting. No other symptoms were reported and there was no significant medical or family history except the history of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Examination revealed that the patient had a medical condition. was vitally stable with tenderness in the upper abdomen, in particular the epigastric and right hypochondrial, but no signs of generalized peritonitis. Her white cell count was elevated at 24,000x10^3/UL, and a C-reactive protein of 45.5 mg/dL. An upright CXR revealed the classic gas under the diaphragm. Abdominal CT with oral gastrograffin identified the diagnosis of perforated duodenal ulcer without ulcer leak. The case was treated by conservative management started with resuscitation, nil per os, IV fluid, IV antibiotics, and close observation and the patient was stable with no complications and completed the nonoperative management successfully till discharge after 10 days of hospital stay. The case illustrates that although this condition is uncommon to be treated without surgical intervention, there are some factors and criteria for successful NOM. Peptic ulcer perforation is a life-threatening surgical emergency. Surgery is the standard treatment for PPU and NOM can be conducted safely and successfully in highly selected cases. the surgeon should keep a wide safety window while providing nonstandard management with readiness to operate at any time. We believe that the main factor in successful nonsurgical management of our case is being fasted for a long time before perforation.

An Anterior Abdominal Abscess as the Initial Presentation of a Perforated Duodenal Ulcer: A Case Report

Duodenal perforation most commonly presents with life-threatening symptoms of acute abdomen. However, in rare cases, a perforation may have an indolent course due to subclinical progression, and the patient may present with complications at the first visit. We present a case of an anterior abdominal abscess as the initial presentation of a duodenal perforation in a 65-year-old female with no pre-morbidities. The patient presented with a painful mass in the right upper quadrant associated with fever. Physical examination revealed a tender, erythematous swelling in the right hypochondrium and lumbar regions with no signs of peritonitis. Contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) of the abdomen showed a subcapsular hepatic abscess with parietal extension, but no signs of hollow viscus perforation were visible. Empirical antibiotics were given, and incision and drainage (I&D) were performed to drain around 100 mL of pus. However, drain on postop day one demonstrated bile suggesting a hollow viscus perforation, which was confirmed by a Gastrografin study.

Peptic ulcer perforation after cesarean section; case series and literature review

BACKGROUND

Peptic ulcer perforation in the early post-cesarean period is rare but may result in maternal mortality.

CASE PRESENTATION

Four cases of post-cesarean peptic ulcer perforation are presented. In all four patients, presentations include peritoneal signs such as acute abdominal pain and progressive distention, hemodynamic instability and intraperitoneal free fluid by ultrasound. Laparotomy and repair were done in all 4 cases. There were 2 maternal deaths. We also have reviewed English literature for the similar cases reported from 1940 to March 2019.

CONCLUSION

New onset tachycardia, abdominal pain and progressive distension after cesarean section without congruent changes in hemoglobin should raise concerns for intra-abdominal emergencies including perforated peptic ulcer. Early use of ultrasound should be considered to assist in diagnosis. Coordinated care by an obstetrician and a general surgeon is necessary in presence of any unusual postoperative abdominal pain. Early recognition of the disease is imperative to limit the surgical delay and to improve the outcomes.

Chronic subclinical perforation of a duodenal ulcer presenting with an abdominal abscess in a patient with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis

Peptic ulcer disease has been a major problem since the turn of this century with high morbidity and mortality. Perforation is less common, with an estimated incidence of 7-10 per 100 000. We present a young woman with rheumatoid arthritis presenting with anaemia. On work up, she was found to have a chronic abdominal abscess secondary to subclinical perforation of a duodenal ulcer. After undergoing percutaneous drainage, she became haemodynamically unstable and was taken for surgical washout and jejunostomy tube placement. A week later she had a decrease in the size of the abscess and was discharged home with drain and tube feeds. At her follow-up a few weeks later, she was tolerating goal tube feeds.

Perforated duodenal ulcer presenting with a subphrenic abscess revealed by plain abdominal X-ray films and confirmed by multi-detector computed tomography: a case report

Introduction

Peptic ulcer disease is still the major cause of gastrointestinal perforation despite major improvements in both diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. While the diagnosis of a perforated ulcer is straightforward in typical cases, its clinical onset may be subtle because of comorbidities and/or concurrent therapies.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 53-year-old Caucasian man with a history of chronic myeloid leukemia on maintenance therapy (100mg/day) with imatinib who was found to have a subphrenic abscess resulting from a perforated duodenal ulcer that had been clinically overlooked. Our patient was febrile (38.5°C) with abdominal tenderness and hypoactive bowel sounds. On the abdominal plain X-ray films, a right subphrenic abscess could be seen. On contrast-enhanced multi-detector computed tomography, a huge air-fluid collection extending from the subphrenic to the subhepatic anterior space was observed. After oral administration of 500cm³ of 3 percent diluted diatrizoate meglumine, an extraluminal leakage of the water-soluble iodinated contrast media could then be appreciated as a result of a perforated duodenal ulcer. During surgery, the abscess was drained and extensive adhesiolysis had to be performed to expose the duodenal bulb where the ulcer was first identified by methylene blue administration and then sutured.

Conclusions

While subphrenic abscesses are well known complications of perforated gastric or duodenal ulcers, they have nowadays become rare thanks to advances in both diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for peptic ulcer disease. However, when peptic ulcer disease is not clinically suspected, the contribution of imaging may be substantial.

Perforated gastrointestinal ulcers presenting as acute respiratory distress

BACKGROUND

Dyspnea is one of the most common complaints facing the emergency medicine physician. Some of the gastrointestinal causes of dyspnea are self-limited and not life-threatening, yet others are, and early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.

METHODS

In this article we presented one of these life-threatening conditions through a clinical description of a patient presenting with acute respiratory distress that was finally diagnosed to be the result of a perforated gastric ulcer.

RESULTS

An emergent thoracotomy revealed a small ulcer with perforation in the fundus of the stomach. The patient was transferred after the operation to the intensive care unit and after a prolonged hospitalization discharged home. Biopsies taken from the ulcer showed diffuse inflammation, with no evidence of microorganisms or malignancy.

CONCLUSION

Perforation of gastric and duodenal ulcers is a rare yet existing cause of dyspnea and respiratory failure and should be kept in mind by the emergency physician, especially when other more common causes are ruled out.