DELAYED TENSION PNEUMOTHORAX AFTER LAPAROSCOPY

Laparoscopy is a safe and useful procedure in evaluating intraabdomina l disease. Serious complications have been reported but are rare. Lapa roscopy related pneumothorax is one such complication that may occur d uring the procedure or in the immediate period thereafter. This compli cation is typically neither hemodynamically significant nor tension in nature. We report the unique case of a 52-year-old woman who not only developed acute respiratory compromise from a tension pneumothorax bu t did so 3 h after the completion of a seemingly uneventful laparoscop ic procedure. Prompt recognition of this potential complication may pe rmit immediate and effective treatment of this life-threatening compli cation.