Pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium 11 days after Whipple procedure. A case report and review if the literature

Abstract

Introduction: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is a rare condition classified as free air in the mediastinum in the absence of any precipitating cause. This is the first time that a synchronous presence of pneumopericardium is described. To date, there are no clear guidelines for diagnosis and treatment.

Presentation of a case: A 34-year old Caucasian male patient presented to our institution with a recently diagnosed pancreatic adenocarcinoma. He underwent an uneventful pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure). Preoperative and intraoperative chest X-Ray after a central line placement were normal. The postoperative course was uneventful, but few hours before his discharge he presented an acute tachycardia and tachypnea with hypocapnia and a transient loss of consciousness. The full-body CT scan revealed a pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium without any findings of anastomotic leak or other pathology from the abdomen. A meticulous review of the literature was conducted about the pathophysiology, treatment options and outcomes of pneumomediastinum after a surgical procedure.

Discussion: This is the first study presenting the case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum with a synchronous pneumopericardium in the literature as a late complication of Whipple procedure. The applied diagnostic algorithm and conservative treatment are presented to extend our limited knowledge about this rare medical entity.

Conclusion: Awareness of these medical entities is important for the adequate management and optimal outcome of patients presenting a spontaneous pneumomediastinum. As such, all cases, treatment decisions and outcomes should be reported.

Keywords: Late complication after Whipple; Pneumomediastinum after Whipple; Postoperative pneumopericardium; Spontaneous pneumomediastinum; Spontaneous pneumopericardium.