Pneumomediastinum After COVID-19

Kasey B Johnson; Vanessa G Carroll; Hinah G Parker

doi:10.1177/2333794X221101773

Pneumomediastinum After COVID-19

Glob Pediatr Health. 2022 May 31:9:2333794X221101773. doi: 10.1177/2333794X221101773. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Kasey B Johnson¹, Vanessa G Carroll^{1

2}, Hinah G Parker^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Washington State University, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Spokane, WA, USA.
² Kootenai Health, Pediatric Department, Coeur d'Alene, ID, USA.

Abstract

A preadolescent female presented to the emergency department with an acute asthma exacerbation. Chest radiograph and computed tomography scan showed extensive pneumomediastinum with a small pneumopericardium without a distinct source for this air leak. The patient was admitted for noninvasive monitoring, analgesia, and high concentration oxygen. Serial chest radiographs showed marked improvement following high concentration oxygen, and she was discharged on hospital day 3. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium are rare complications of asthma that can often be managed conservatively but should be considered on the differential for this patient population, and may be a complication of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; asthma; pneumomediastinum; pneumopericardium; remodeling.

Publication types

Case Reports