Air-leak syndromes include pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, pneumopericardium, pneumoperitoneum, pulmonary interstitial emphysema and subcutaneous emphysema. Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum occur in 1 to 2% of normal neonates and they usually has no symptoms and resolves spontaneously. Here we report sudden fatal pneumomediastinum accompanied with pneumopericardium and pneumoperitoneum in no...

Cardiac tamponade secondary to air is rare. Pneumopericardium is most commonly encountered in neonates, often secondary to positive pressure ventilation. 1-3 In adults blunt trauma is the main cause of pneumopericardium. Cardiac tamponade occurs in roughly one-third of such patients. 1 A 24-year-old man presented to the Tshepong casualty department with a stabbed chest. His vital signs were ini...

We report a case of a preterm neonate with isolated spontaneous pneumopericardium occurring in the absence of a history of neonatal resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, major lung disease or another air leak. The pneumopericardium was asymptomatic and resolved without the need for aspiration, although the "nitrogen washout" technique was used.

Pneumopericardium resulting in cardiac tamponade in patients with lung cancer is not documented. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung complicated by pneumopericardium and subsequent cardiac tamponade. The patient underwent an urgent pericardial window with rapid improvement in symptoms. We discuss the possible pathogenesis and treatment options for this rare condition.

Pneumopericardium is an uncommon but potentially serious condition. It appears in association with invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, although cases have also been reported in association with bronchospasm, esophageal disorders, and other problems. We describe a case of spontaneous pneumopericardium with chest pain in a patient with community-acquired pneumonia.

Pneumopericardium is rare in acute asthma and cardiac tamponade has not been reported. The case is reported of a 20 year old asthmatic patient in whom assisted ventilation and high airway pressures resulted in tension pneumopericardium with clinical signs of cardiac tamponade that were relieved by pericardial aspiration.

To cite: Pegu S, Kalapesi Z. BMJ Case Rep Published online: [please include Day Month Year] doi:10.1136/ bcr-2016-218045 DESCRIPTION This baby girl was born at 37 weeks to a woman aged 30 years. Her birth weight was 2.99 kg. The antenatal period was uneventful with no risk factors for infection or any other high-risk conditions. The baby was born by normal vaginal delivery and required no activ...

Three recent cases of pneumopericardium after closed-chest injury are described. The mechanism of pericardial inflation suspected in each was pleuropericardial laceration in the presence of an intrathoracic air leak. Deflation of the pericardium was achieved by underwater seal drainage of the right pleural cavity in the first patient, during thoracotomy for repair of tracheobronchial rupture in...