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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging 2019; 29(01): 77-80
DOI: 10.4103/ijri.IJRI_340_18
Case Report

Subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum as a complication of an asthma attack

Ana Isabel Franco
Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario de Torrejón, Calle Mateo Inurria s/n, Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
,
Sari Arponen
Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario de Torrejón, Calle Mateo Inurria s/n, Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
,
Fátima Hermoso
Thoracic Surgery Department, Hospital Universitario de Torrejón, Calle Mateo Inurria s/n, Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
,
María-José García
Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario de Torrejón, Calle Mateo Inurria s/n, Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
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Subject Editor: Financial support and sponsorship Nil.
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Abstract

Introduction: Simultaneous subcutaneous emphysema, spontaneous pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum are complications rarely observed synchronously during an acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. Although spontaneous pneumothorax has already been reported in asthma patients in the literature, its concurrence with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum is extremely rare except for iatrogenic conditions. Case Study: We describe a patient who presented to the emergency room with progressive dyspnea and chest pain. Three days before, she consulted her general physician with a history of violent dry cough and wheezing. An acute asthma exacerbation was diagnosed, and an inhaled short-acting beta 2 agonist and oral prednisone were prescribed. The patient developed simultaneous subcutaneous emphysema, spontaneous pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum, a rare complication of an asthma attack. Conclusions: Our aim is to emphasize that occult pneumothoraces should be considered in a patient presenting with an acute asthma attack failing to respond to conventional medical therapy.

Keywords

Asthma - pneumomediastinum - spontaneous pneumothorax - subcutaneous emphysema


Publication History

Article published online:
23 July 2021

© 2019. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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