Pneumomediastinum (patient information)

Pneumomediastinum
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Pneumomediastinum?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
Pneumomediastinum On the Web
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FDA on Pneumomediastinum
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Pneumomediastinum in the news
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Directions to Hospitals Treating Pneumomediastinum
Risk calculators and risk factors for Pneumomediastinum

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Trusha Tank, M.D.[2]

Overview

Pneumomediastinum is air in the mediastinum. The mediastinum is the space in the middle of the chest, between the lungs and around the heart.

What are the Symptoms of pneumomediastinum?

• There may be no symptoms.
• The condition usually causes chest pain behind the breastbone, which may spread to the neck or arms.
• The pain may be worse when you take a breath or swallow.

What Causes pneumomediastinum?

Pneumomediastinum is uncommon. The condition can be caused by injury or disease. Most often, it occurs when air leaks from any part of the lung or airways into the mediastinum.

Increased pressure in the lungs or airways may be caused by:

• Too much coughing
• Repeated bearing down to increase abdominal pressure (such as pushing during childbirth or a bowel movement)
• Sneezing
• Vomiting

It may also happen after:

• An infection in the neck or center of the chest
• Rapid rises in altitude, or scuba diving
• Tearing of the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth and stomach)
• Tearing of the trachea (windpipe)
• Use of a breathing machine
• Use of inhaled recreational drugs, such as marijuana or crack cocaine
• Surgery

Pneumomediastinum also can occur with collapsed lung (pneumothorax) or other diseases.

Diagnosis

• During a physical examination, the health care provider may feel small bubbles of air under the skin of the chest, arms, or neck.
• A chest x-ray or CT scan of the chest may be done. This is to confirm that air is in the mediastinum and to help diagnose a hole in the trachea or esophagus.

Treatment Options

• Often, no treatment is needed because the body will gradually absorb the air.
• Breathing high concentrations of oxygen may speed this process.
• The provider may put in a chest tube if you also have a collapsed lung.
• You may also need treatment for the cause of the problem.
• A hole in the trachea or esophagus needs to be repaired with surgery.

Where to find Medical Care for pneumomediastinum?

Medical care for (disease name) can be found here.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000434.htm