Authors: William S Blakemore John J Murphy Henry P Pendergrass Roy R Greening
Publish Date: 1958/05/17
Volume: 167, Issue: 3, Pages: 310-312
Abstract
Insufflation of gas into the retroperitoneal space to delineate the configuration of organs and structures therein may often be a diagnostic procedure of considerable value The complication of gas embolism has prevented broader and more frequent application of this technique In a recent survey by Ransom Landes and McLelland1 58 fatal and 64 severe nonfatal cases of gas embolism were found among 9201 retroperitoneal pneumographic studies It appeared from this review that presacral insufflation of gas was safer than insufflation via the perirenal route Oxygen and air appeared equally dangerous as contrast mediumsIt is interesting to note that in the original description of perirenal gas insufflation Carelli and Sordelli2 report on carbon dioxide Later this gas was discarded as a contrast medium apparently because it disappeared from the retroperitoneal tissues so rapidly Recently carbon dioxide has been used as an intracardiac roentgen contrast medium without serious illeffects
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