Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine

Register      Login

SEARCH WITHIN CONTENT

FIND ARTICLE

Volume / Issue

Online First

Archive
Related articles

VOLUME 14 , ISSUE 2 ( April, 2010 ) > List of Articles

CASE REPORT

Spontaneous pnemomedastinum in acute severe asthma

Aleemuddin Naved, Farah Bahmed

Keywords : Spontaneous pneumomedastinum, cervical medastinotomy, tracheostomy, 100% oxygen, Hammans sign

Citation Information : Naved A, Bahmed F. Spontaneous pnemomedastinum in acute severe asthma. Indian J Crit Care Med 2010; 14 (2):92-94.

DOI: 10.4103/0972-5229.68224

License: CC BY-ND 3.0

Published Online: 01-06-2017

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2010; The Author(s).


Abstract

Spontaneous medastinal emphysema, as a complication of acute severe asthma, is an uncommon entity. It usually runs a benign course and resolves spontaneously without any surgical intervention. Recognition of this complication is critical, as it has to be differentiated from other life threatening ones including oesophageal rupture, Boerhave′s syndrome, acute coronary syndrome and pulmonary embolism. This case is being presented to emphasize its recognition in the differential diagnosis of complications arising from acute severe asthma and to present its management strategy in detail.


PDF Share
  1. Koullias GJ, Korkolis DP, Wang XJ, Hammond GL. Current assessment and management of spontaneous pneumomediastinum: experience in 24 adult patients. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2004; 25:852-2.
  2. Newcomb AE, Clark CP. spontaneous pneumomedastinum- a benign curiosity or a significant problem? Chest 2005; 128:298-302.
  3. Abolnik I, Lossos IS, Breuer R. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum. A report of 25 cases. Chest 1991; 100:93-5.
  4. Jougon JB, Ballester M, Declambre F, Macbride T, Dromer CEH, Valley JF. Spontaneous pneumomedastinum: clinical and natural history. Ann Emerg Med 1992; 21:67-72.
  5. Ba-Ssalamah A, Schima W, Umek W, Herold CJ. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum. Eur Radiol 1999; 9:724-7.
  6. Bejvan SM, Godwin JD. Pneumomediastinum: old signs and new signs. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1996; 166:1041-8.
  7. Holmes KD, McGuirt WF. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: evaluation and treatment. J Fam Pract 1990; 31:429.
  8. Chiu CY, Wong KS, Yao TC, Huang JL. Asthmatic versus non-asthmatic spontaneous pneumomediastinum in children. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol 2005; 23:19-22.
  9. Macia I, Moya J, Ramos R, Morera R, Escobar I, Saumench J, et al. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: 41 cases. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2007;31:1110-4.
  10. Perna V, Vilΰ E, Guelbenzu JJ, Amat I. Pneumomediastinum: is it really a benign entity? When it can be considered as spontaneous? Our experience in 47 adult patients. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg; 2009.
  11. Takada K, Matsumoto S, Hiramatsu T, Kojima E, Shizu M, Okachi S, et al. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: an algorithm for diagnosis and management. Ther Adv Respir Dis 2009; 3:301-7.
  12. Faruqi S, Varma R, Greenstone MA, Kastelik JA. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: a rare complication of bronchial asthma. J Asthma 2009; 46:969-71.
  13. Weissberg D. Spontaneous mediastinal emphysema. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2004; 26:885-8.
  14. Macklin MT, Macklin CC. Malignant interstitial emphysema of the lungs and mediastinum as an important occult complication in many respiratory diseases and other conditions: interpretation of the clinical literature in the light of laboratory experiment. Medicine 1944; 23:281-358.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.