Trans-anal barotrauma by compressed air leading to sigmoid perforation due to a dangerous practical joke

To present a case report of trans-anal barotrauma by high-pressure compressed air jet as a dangerous practical joke, that is, playful insufflation of high-pressure air jet through the anal orifice resulting in sigmoid perforation. The patient presented to emergency a day later with complaints of severe pain in the abdomen and abdominal distension following insufflation of high-pressure air jet through the anus. On examination, he had signs suggestive of perforation peritonitis and x-ray of the abdomen showed gas under the diaphragm. An emergency exploratory laparotomy was performed which revealed a 4-cm perforation in the sigmoid colon. Resection of the segment containing perforation along with the surrounding devitalised part was done with double-barrel colostomy. Reversal of colostomy was done after 8 weeks. Follow-up was uneventful.