[A case of spontaneous epidural emphysema occurring during sleep].
A 19-year-old man consulted a doctor for swelling of his neck and shortness of breath. The day before, he woke up with a slight cough and upper chest pain early in the morning. He went to school and spent the day as usual. He did not have a history of asthma or violent cough. The next day, chest radiography showed subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum. Computed tomography not only confirmed the presence of mediastinal and subcutaneous air, but also demonstrated a linear radiolucent stripe in the spinal canal corresponding to epidural emphysema. The patient did not have any neurologic findings. His general condition remained good except that his arterial blood oxygen saturation slightly decreased to 95%. Laboratory data were normal, except for serum IgE, which was elevated (2072 IU/ml). He stayed at rest and was treated conservatively and his symptoms improved within a few days. Seven days later, the intraspinal air and pneumomediastinum had resolved spontaneously on follow-up chest computed tomography (CT).
Shikama
Yusuke
Y
Respiratory Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital.
Uchida
Nanako
N
Hamazaki
Nanae
N
Satou
Youko
Y
Takase
Hiroyasu
H
Takamiya
Yusuke
Y
Morishita
Tetsuya
T
Nakajima
Hiroaki
H
D000328:Adult; D004646:Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004824:Epidural Space; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008478:Mediastinal Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D012890:Sleep; D013352:Subcutaneous Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed