Pneumomediastinum in term and late preterm newborns: what is the proper clinical approach?

Abstract

Pneumomediastinum (PM) occurs in approximately 0.1% of newborns. Its diagnosis is usually followed by admission of the infant to a neonatal care unit for treatment and monitoring. We report the outcome of a cohort of late preterm and term infants who developed PM in our center, and review the literature on this topic. We describe the course of 10 cases of PM, five asymptomatic and five with respiratory failure. Asymptomatic infants had an uncomplicated course, but received a similar number of chest X-rays and had a slightly shorter hospitalization compared to symptomatic infants. PM generally has a benign course. Fewer chest X-rays are warranted when it is asymptomatic.

Keywords: Infant; pneumomediastinum; respiratory failure.