Late Onset Isolated Traumatic Pneumomediastinum in a Child: A Case Report

Abstract

Pneumomediastinum (PM) is defined as the presence of gas or free air in mediastinum. Pneumomediastinum may ocur either by trauma or spontaneously. Traumatic PM is frequently seen after blunt thoracic trauma, head trauma, after endoscopy-bronchoscopy (osephagus perforation, tracheobronchial injury) and due to mechanical ventilation. Pneumomediastinum after blunt trauma is a lethal injury that generally occurs in adults with concomittant injuries such as rib fractures, hemo-pneumothorax and thoracic vascular injuries after high-energy traumas. We represent case report of a late onset isolated traumatic PM in a child and aim to underline the difficulty and importance of diagnosis of this lethal injury in the emergency department.