title: Empyema thoracis complicated by pneumothorax necessitans manifesting as lobulated, localized subcutaneous emphysematous swellings.
abstract: We describe a patient with empyema thoracis that had eroded through the apical chest wall to the supraclavicular fossa and lung parenchyma, ultimately leading to a bronchopleural fistula manifesting as lobulated, localized subcutaneous emphysematous swellings over the chest wall and supraclavicular fossa. This is a rarely reported phenomenon and the reason why the lobulated subcutaneous emphysematous swellings remained localized is unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, International Islamic University of Malaysia, Kuantan, Malaysia. kychunn@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yeh Chunn
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kuan
authors.forename: Soon Hin
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: How
authors.forename: Wing Choy
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yeen
authors.forename: Teck Han
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Abdul Rani
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fauzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000150:complications*; D013352:Subcutaneous Emphysema / Q000209:etiology*