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Case Reports
. 2025 May 29;17(5):e85035.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.85035. eCollection 2025 May.

A Rare Complication of Dental Care: A Case of Subcutaneous Emphysema, Pneumomediastinum, and Pneumopericardium

Caroline Henin  1 , Laure Watelet  2 , Vanessa Wauters  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Rare Complication of Dental Care: A Case of Subcutaneous Emphysema, Pneumomediastinum, and Pneumopericardium

Caroline Henin et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

This article reports the rare case of a 64-year-old man who presented at the emergency department with interscapular pain following a dental procedure. Imaging revealed subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and pneumopericardium, resulting from the use of an air-driven tool during the treatment of a molar implant. Although uncommon, such iatrogenic complications can lead to serious consequences and should be promptly recognized and managed in emergency settings to prevent further deterioration.

Keywords: air-driven dental tools; dental procedure complications; pneumomediastinum; pneumopericardium; subcutaneous emphysema.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Contrast-enhanced CT scan of the neck and thoracic area showing extensive subcutaneous emphysema
CT: computed tomography
Figure 2
Figure 2. Multiple CT scan views of the neck area: (a) emphysema surrounding the lower left molar region and the floor of the mouth and (b) subcutaneous emphysema descending on the neck
CT: computed tomography
Figure 3
Figure 3. Multiple CT scan views of the thoracic area: (a) emphysema surrounding the neck vessels and the trachea and (b) emphysema extending into the mediastinum
CT: computed tomography
Figure 4
Figure 4. CT scan showing pneumopericardium
CT: computed tomography
Figure 5
Figure 5. Multiple CT scan views showing extended emphysema: (a) sagittal plane and (b) coronal plane
CT: computed tomography
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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