Cervicofacial Emphysema, Pneumomediastinum and Pneumothorax Caused by a Dental Procedure

Pneumomediastinum after Third Molar Extraction: Case Report, Physiopathology, and Literature Review

“…Diagnosis of subcutaneous emphysema is important because, if unnoticed, it can lead to various complications, such as pressure on the orbit, which can cause blindness [9,13], compression of the upper airway that sometimes requires intubation of the patient [1,3,14], and nerve compression (such as that of the recurrent laryngeal nerve) that causes vocal cord paresis [1]. Furthermore, subcutaneous emphysema may extend to the thorax, causing pneumopericardium [19,20] or pneumomediastinum [1, 3, 8, 10-12, [14][15][16][17][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Pressurized air can rupture the mediastinal pleura and cause pneumothorax [11,19,26].…”

“…Furthermore, subcutaneous emphysema may extend to the thorax, causing pneumopericardium [19,20] or pneumomediastinum [1, 3, 8, 10-12, [14][15][16][17][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Pressurized air can rupture the mediastinal pleura and cause pneumothorax [11,19,26]. Air can also reach the spinal level, thereby causing pneumorrhagia with possible compression of the spinal canal [12].…”

Cervicofacial and mediastinal emphysema following minor dental procedure: a case report and review of the literature

“… Weeks CT / + CRP 75 Admitted / antibiotics Mascarenhas & al [ 38 ]. 43/M RDP / 47 HS Immediate XR / - – N/A / Amoxicilin Paschos & al [ 39 ]. 17/F Extraction / 38 HS 30 min CT / + N 3 days / antibiotics Rad et & [ 40 ].…”