title: Acute colonic diverticular perforation presenting as left ear pain and facial swelling due to cervical subcutaneous emphysema in a patient administered corticosteroids.
abstract: A 56-yr-old white female administered corticosteroids presented with left ear pain and facial swelling due to cervical subcutaneous emphysema from a diverticular perforation of the sigmoid colon. This case demonstrates that localized signs of a bowel perforation may be absent in patients administered corticosteroids, that these patients may present with unusual, remote findings, and that bowel perforation can produce cervical subcutaneous emphysema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cappell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marks
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004241:Diverticulum, Colon / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004433:Earache / Q000209:etiology*; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology*; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013352:Subcutaneous Emphysema / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone