Pyopneumothorax and peritonitis due to perforated duodenal ulcer and associated pleuroperitoneal communication.

Pleuroperitoneal communication is an anatomic entity that is typically asymptomatic but sometimes responsible for hydrothorax. This pleural manifestation can be explained by progressive transdiaphragmatic passage of intra-abdominal fluid because of abdominal hyperpressure. The object of this report is to present a hitherto unreported association of concomitant pleural effusion and acute infectious abdominal disease, due to perforated duodenal ulcer. This underscores that pleural effusion associated with acute abdominal pain may reveal the existence of a communication of this type, and requires surgical management.