title: Pneumomediastinum secondary to mephedrone inhalation.
abstract: A 23-year-old man presented to the emergency department with severe, central, pleuritic chest pain. The pain was present on waking and exacerbated by movement. On examination, supraclavicular and anterior chest wall surgical emphysema was noted, otherwise examination and initial observations were normal. A chest x-ray and subsequent chest CT demonstrated a pneumomediastium with significant subcutaneous emphysema. There was no history of vomiting or chest trauma, but the patient had inhaled mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug, 36 h prior. Pneumomediastinum is an uncommon complication of inhalational drug use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University College Hospital, London, UK. chris.mccullough@nhs.net
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.forename: Margaret Geraldine
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.forename: Toby
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillman
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elkhodair
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008478:Mediastinal Emphysema / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine; C548233:mephedrone