tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Cureus
. 2023 Jun 26;15(6):e40996.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.40996. eCollection 2023 Jun. Pathological Presence of Free Air in the Thorax: Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum as a Complication of COVID-19
Alexandra M Cristea[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Dragos C Zaharia[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Stefan Dumitrache-Rujinski[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Alexandra Tintea[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Miron A Bogdan[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Introduction: The abnormal presence of free air in the thorax, pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum are complications for critically ill patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The development of these events may lead to a poor prognosis and make the management of this category of patients more difficult.
Study design: We performed an observational retrospective study, including patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and pneumonia who were hospitalized, to analyze the cases that developed pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum as a complication.
Results: A total of 28 cases (1.51%) from 1844 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia developed pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum during hospitalization. Of them, 21 (75%) needed intensive care unit admission and ventilation, and 10 (35.71) were cured.
Conclusion: The male gender is more probable to be involved in the development of pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. The incidence of these events is low, and conservative treatment could provide a better outcome.
Keywords: covid-19; pandemic; pneumomediastinum; pneumothorax; subcutaneous emphysema.
. 2023 Jun 26;15(6):e40996.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.40996. eCollection 2023 Jun. Pathological Presence of Free Air in the Thorax: Pneumothorax and Pneumomediastinum as a Complication of COVID-19
Alexandra M Cristea[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Dragos C Zaharia[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Stefan Dumitrache-Rujinski[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Alexandra Tintea[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Miron A Bogdan[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 37503506
- PMCID: PMC10371297
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.40996
Introduction: The abnormal presence of free air in the thorax, pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum are complications for critically ill patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The development of these events may lead to a poor prognosis and make the management of this category of patients more difficult.
Study design: We performed an observational retrospective study, including patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and pneumonia who were hospitalized, to analyze the cases that developed pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum as a complication.
Results: A total of 28 cases (1.51%) from 1844 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia developed pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum during hospitalization. Of them, 21 (75%) needed intensive care unit admission and ventilation, and 10 (35.71) were cured.
Conclusion: The male gender is more probable to be involved in the development of pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. The incidence of these events is low, and conservative treatment could provide a better outcome.
Keywords: covid-19; pandemic; pneumomediastinum; pneumothorax; subcutaneous emphysema.