A Case of Traumatic Perforation of the Small Intestine Treated by Laparoscopic Surgery That Could Not Be Diagnosed Preoperatively

Abstract

A 19-year-old man was transferred to our hospital complaining of abdominal pain after he fell from motorcycle he was riding and hit a guardrail. Physical examination revealed rebound tenderness in the lower abdomen, but abdominal computed tomography failed to reveal any intraperitoneal free air. We performed surgery under the diagnosis of traumatic injury of abdominal organ. Laparoscopic exploration revealed a perforation in the jejunum and injury to the serosa of the cecum. We repaired the perforation of the small intestine and serosa of the cecum under laparoscopic guidance. The patient recovered satisfactorily and was discharged 16 days after the operation.