Spontaneous pneumorrhachis with pneumomediastinum, scrotal emphysema, and extensive subcutaneous emphysema in a patient with pneumonia: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Background Spontaneous pneumorrhachis with pneumomediastinum, scrotal emphysema, and extensive subcutaneous emphysema caused by acute pneumonia are rarely observed in clinical practice. Case Presentation Herein, we report a case of a 12‐year‐old boy with spontaneous pneumorrhachis with pneumomediastinum, scrotal emphysema, and extensive subcutaneous emphysema caused by a severe cough due to mycoplasma pneumonia. This patient neither received invasive or noninvasive ventilator treatment nor surgical treatment before the onset of the disease. After treatment, the patient recovered smoothly and was discharged from the hospital. Literature Review We reviewed all cases of spontaneous pneumorrhachis in children and adolescents between 1988 and 2022 in the PubMed database. Twenty‐seven cases met our inclusion criteria, and the data on demographic information, triggers, comorbidities, symptoms, imaging findings, treatment, and prognosis were extracted and analyzed. Conclusion Although spontaneous pneumorrhachis is a rare condition, it has been reported in children. Computed tomography scanning is the gold standard for its detection. Spontaneous pneumorrhachis is typically a benign disease. This condition usually does not require any special treatment and should be monitored as common types of air leaks, such as pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum.