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Case Reports
. 2021 Mar 3:9:2050313X21997196.
doi: 10.1177/2050313X21997196. eCollection 2021.

Rapid resolution of severe subcutaneous emphysema causing respiratory failure with subcutaneous drain

Ala Mustafa  1 , Caio Heleno  1 , Douglas T Summerfield  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Rapid resolution of severe subcutaneous emphysema causing respiratory failure with subcutaneous drain

Ala Mustafa et al. SAGE Open Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

This case reports on a critically ill patient (Male, 74) with severe subcutaneous emphysema which progressed to causing respiratory distress. We document both the severity of the condition we observed and then present a novel intervention. In this case, we decompressed the patient at the intensive care unit-bedside and resolved the condition. While subcutaneous emphysema is relatively common, the severity of the condition we observed, and the lack of definitive treatment guidance have prompted us to present this case as a plausible treatment guide.

Keywords: Subcutaneous emphysema; decompression; procedure; respiratory distress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Image 1.
Image 1.
(a) Chest X-ray of patient on admission showing significant SE. (b) Resolution of SE 48 h after insertion of subcutaneous chest tube and simple percutaneous angiocatheter.
Image 2.
Image 2.
CT Chest showing extensive subcutaneous emphysema.
Image 3.
Image 3.
(a) Image of patient on admission with significant periorbital SE. (b) Image of patient on post intervention with resolution of his SE.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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