Benign noninfectious subcutaneous emphysema of the hand.
A 17-year-old girl presented pain and subcutaneous crepitation in the left hand. Because of lack of systemic symptoms, non-infectious cause was considered. Radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging revealed subcutaneous emphysema. A chest x-ray was reported as normal but chest computerised tomography revealed pneumomediastinum. On the third day of the hospitalisation, subcutaneous emphysema spread to arm, shoulder, head, left hemithorax, back, bilateral supraclavicular, cervical, submandibular and periorbital regions. Pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema disappeared during 6 weeks of follow up with conservative methods. This might have prevented unnecessary surgical intervention. This report demonstrates that benign non-infectious subcutaneous emphysema of the hand due to pneumomediastinum should be kept in mind in hand surgery.
Ozalay
Metin
M
Baskent University Hospital, Dadaloğlu mah. 39 sok, No. 6, Yuregir, Adana, Turkey. mozalay@hotmail.com
Akpinar
Sercan
S
Hersekli
Murat Ali
MA
Ozkoç
Gürkan
G
Tandoğan
Reha N
RN
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008478:Mediastinal Emphysema / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013352:Subcutaneous Emphysema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed