Current Thoracic Surgery

Colonoscopy is a safe procedure and in less than 1% of the patients, colonic perforation may be seen. Physical examination findings such as pain and distension of the abdomen are well-known symptoms however, dyspnea and tachypnea are seen in only a small number of cases as a sign of iatrogenic colon perforation. In this report, we present a 70-year-old female patient with iatrogenic pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema and bilateral pneumothorax after diagnostic colonoscopy. The patient was successfully treated with endoscopic colon repair and left tube thoracostomy. When atypical findings are present such as dyspnea and subcutaneous emphysema, iatrogenic pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum should be kept mind after colonoscopy.