title: Role of emergency thoracic ultrasonography in spontaneous pneumomediastinum. Two case report.
abstract: Early identification of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in an Emergency Department is possible with thoracic ultrasound. We report two cases of spontaneous pneumomediastinum, diagnosed in a 26-year old man with chronic asthma and a 19-year old athlete, and discuss the role of thoracic US alongside conventional X-ray and thoracic CT in emergency medicine. The patients were transferred to an Emergency Department, where conservative treatment produced a good outcome. The greater sensitivity and specificity of thoracic US over conventional supine X-ray in the detection of occult pneumothorax is ever more appreciated. However, training in the diagnosis of pneumomediastinum is required.
authors.affiliation: Parodi Delfino Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Vecchio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaottini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giangregorio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008478:Mediastinal Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult