Pneumomediastinum and Pneumothorax as Relevant Complications of Sub-Intensive Care of Patients with COVID-19: Description of a Case Series

Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Sep 1;57(9):919. doi: 10.3390/medicina57090919.

Abstract

Lung failure has been the most common cause of hospitalization for COVID-19. Yet, bilateral interstitial pneumonia has not been the only cause of lung failure of these inpatients, and frequently they develop other illnesses associated with COVID-19. Pulmonary embolism has been the most looked for in the world, but rarely other pneumological diseases, such as pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, have been described and associated with a worsening prognosis. We here report our clinical experience associated with the occurrence of pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum in a cohort of inpatients hospitalized in our division of medicine in a regular ward or in a sub-intensive ward.

Keywords: COVID-19; non-invasive ventilation; pneumomediastinum; pneumothorax.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Critical Care
  • Humans
  • Mediastinal Emphysema* / diagnostic imaging
  • Mediastinal Emphysema* / etiology
  • Pneumothorax* / etiology
  • SARS-CoV-2