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Case Reports
. 2019 Jul 31:28:100918.
doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2019.100918. eCollection 2019.

Cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum secondary to dental treatment in a young man

Mona Vahidi Rad  1 , Eliza Kwok Ying Chan  2 , Iqbal Hussein Ahmed  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum secondary to dental treatment in a young man

Mona Vahidi Rad et al. Respir Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

The occurrence of cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum is very rare but can be potentially life-threatening. These complications can happen during or after bronchoscopic or dental procedures, esophageal rupture or perforation, infections involving the head and neck and alveolar rupture in the setting of an inciting event such as asthma. The symptoms can appear promptly after the inciting event, but can also be delayed or do not reach maximal intensity for hours. Cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema usually occurs during or within minutes to hours after dental treatment and can be easily misdiagnosed as post-procedure swelling or an allergic reaction. We report a 36-year-old male who underwent dental treatment for a fractured left lower molar tooth and subsequently developed extensive subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum. The purpose of this report is to bring attention to the fact that obtaining an accurate diagnosis for this condition is very important and management in a timely manner can prevent serious complications.

Keywords: Dental treatment; Pneumomediastinum; Subcutaneous emphysema.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Cervicofacial and palpebral emphysema can be seen in this photograph.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Lateral neck radiograph showing subcutaneous emphysema.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Radiograph of patient's neck showing air in the subcutaneous tissue.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Posteroanterior chest radiograph showing mediastinal air.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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