Pneumoscrotum after tracheal intubation

Abstract

Air in the scrotum is an unusual clinical finding and a thorough search should be done in order to locate the air leak or source of gas production. We report an 81-year-old patient who developed severe acute respiratory failure after fiberoptic bronchoscopy and was intubated immediately. After tracheal intubation, excessive subcutaneous emphysema from the head to the scrotum was obvious. Chest tube thoracostomies were placed to treat pneumothorax. The emphysema was absorbed after 13 days without any sequela. Air or gas inside the scrotum may originate from intraperitoneal, extraperitoneal, or local sources. The majority of the cases can be managed conservatively, but emergent intervention is needed in life-threatening situations.

Keywords: intratracheal intubation; pneumoscrotum; subcutaneous emphysema.