Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum: A Rare Cause of Chest Pain

Barroso, Daniela; Rocha, Diana I.; Abelha Pereira, Filipa; Ribeiro, Rui; Pimenta Fernandes, João; Pais Monteiro, Ana; Silva, Isabel Fonseca; Gonçalves, Fabienne

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.16/2927

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Authors

Barroso, Daniela

Rocha, Diana I.

Abelha Pereira, Filipa

Ribeiro, Rui

Pimenta Fernandes, João

Pais Monteiro, Ana

Silva, Isabel Fonseca

Gonçalves, Fabienne

Abstract(s)

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare medical condition characterized by the presence of free air in the mediastinum, not preceded by trauma, surgery, or another medical procedure. It predominantly affects young adult males and usually has a benign course, and in most cases, it is not possible to identify the precipitating factor. There are some conditions that predispose to its occurrence, namely those that lead to an increase in intrapleural pressure, such as coughing, vomiting, or vigorous exercise. We report a case of a 21-year-old male who presented with acute-onset shortness of breath after an episode of coughing and was found to have mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema. Clinical, laboratory, and radiological studies did not demonstrate any predisposing factor, and the case was classified as spontaneous pneumomediastinum

Keywords

chest pain emphysema mediastinal emphysema pneumomediastinum spontaneous pneumomediastinum

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.16/2927

Citation

Barroso D, Rocha D, Abelha Pereira F, et al. Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum: A Rare Cause of Chest Pain. Cureus. 2023;15(10):e47015. doi:10.7759/cureus.47015