Small Bowel Perforation as a Postoperative Complication from a Laminectomy

Figure 1

Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen/pelvis demonstrates the progression of intra-abdominal injury and free air accumulation. (a) Transaxial view highlighting the accumulation of air in the spinal canal, psoas muscles, and the retroperitoneum, secondary to deep penetration and injury of the small bowel during the laminectomy. (b) This axial view demonstrates three distinct locations (labeled 1, 2, and 3) of intra-abdominal free air found on a follow-up CT of the abdomen/pelvis. (c) Axial view depicting extraluminal air anterior to the bowel, as well as air within the mesentery and posterior to the right psoas muscle.

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