Pneumomediastinum is an uncommon complication of sporting activity. The case of a young asthmatic surf lifesaver is reported in which several factors are thought to have been involved in the aetiology of his condition. Treatment was expectant and a full recovery was made over a short period. This is the first reported case of pneumomediastinum occurring following training for a surf belt race.

Occurrence of bilateral pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema during gynecologic laparoscopic procedure is very rare. We report a case of a 23-year-old woman who developed bilateral pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema during laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy. Carbon dioxide extravasations outside the peritoneal cavity during laparoscopy may have fatal c...

Pneumomediastinum usually occurs following an airleak from the lungs, or from a perforated oesophagus. We report on a 30-year-old man who developed pneumomediastinum after scuba diving. The patient presented with acute onset of throat pain, odynophagia, and hoarseness of voice. The literature is reviewed for this condition.

Pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium following blunt chest trauma are rare. Diagnosis is by chest radiograph and CT Scan. They have to be identified and treated accordingly. Usually, pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium are self-limiting requiring no specific therapy. However, vigilance and a continuous monitoring of the vital signs are necessary.

Pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema of the neck and thorax can occur exceptionally following a dental procedure. A case is described of acute subcutaneous emphysema of the lateral region of the neck and thorax associated with pneumomediastinum during a dental extraction with an air and water cooled turbine burn drill.

The occurrence of pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous cervical emphysema as complications of childhood pneumonia is very unusual. They results most often from respiratory manoeuvres that produce high intrathoracic pressure. Although they are largely benign, pneumomediastinum can cause compression of major blood vessels in the mediastinum resulting in life threatening complications. Therefore, ad...

Pneumomediastinum after birth, without birth injury or resuscitation maneuvers, is an unusual situation that can present with grunting, deafening of cardiac sounds, and bulging of the hemithorax. If clinical condition allows, conservative approach is advised even if the pneumomediastinum does not spontaneously resolve in 1 or 2 days.

Severe subcutaneous emphysema following arthroscopy of the shoulder developed in a 62-year-old man. It subsequently evolved into pneumomediastinum with respiratory distress, but the patient recovered spontaneously. To our knowledge, this constitutes the first report of pneumomediastinum caused by subcutaneous emphysema in the shoulder.

Ecstasy is an illegal recreationally used drug. A case of a young woman who had taken this drug and was found to have a spontaneous pneumomediastinum is reported. The association of spontaneous pneumomediastinum with drug abuse is discussed. The possible mechanism for this complication of Ecstasy, which has not been previously reported, is discussed.

Documented cases of lung cancer complicated by pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium are extremely rare. We report the case of a 55-year-old man with lung cancer complicated by pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium. The patient was admitted with a 3-month history of dyspnea (Day 1). Computed tomography (CT) was performed and disease staging was established as cT4N3M0, although the tumor was...