title: Postpartum spontaneous pneumomediastinum 'Hamman's syndrome'.
abstract: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema (Hamman's syndrome) are rare but potentially dangerous complications of labour. The authors reported a case of a 23-year-old primigravida, admitted to our hospital for delivery after 40 weeks of pregnancy. She delivered a baby of 4.27 kg after 9 h from the start of labour. A few minutes after delivery, the patient developed dyspnoea and chest tightness, which made her doctor suspect pulmonary embolism. A chest X-ray and CT scan revealed pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. The patient had been followed up for 3 days in our hospital, without specific therapy.
authors.affiliation: Military Hospital of Tunis, Montfleury, Tunisia. koukisemi@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kouki
authors.forename: Abd Allah
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fares
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008478:Mediastinal Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis; D011859:Radiography; D013352:Subcutaneous Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013577:Syndrome; D055815:Young Adult