Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum in Children: The Experience of a Pediatric Tertiary Center in Antalya
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the demographic data, clinical findings, complications and prognosis of children with spontaneous pneumomediasinum. Material and Methods: This was a retrospective chart review including demographic characteristics, trigger factors, underlying diseases, symptoms, signs, length of hospital stay, complications, treatments, and outcomes of 15 children aged <18 years with a discharge diagnosis of pneumomediastinum, between January 2009 and August 2019, at the University of Health Sciences Antalya Training and Research Hospital. Results: The mean age of the 12 boys (80%) and three girls (20%) with spontaneous pneumomediastinum was 11.33 ± 7 years, with a range of 4 months to 17 years. The most common trigger factor was severe cough and/or bronchospasm due to respiratory tract infection. In 8 patients with pneumomediastinum seen radiologically on the chest X-ray, thoracic computed tomography was also taken. Pneumorrhachis was determined on the thoracic computed tomography of 3 (20%) patients. Pneumomediastinum was accompanied by pneumothorax in 7 (46.6%) cases. The mean length of hospital stay was 8.4 ± 4.5 days (3-18 days). All patients except one recovered and were discharged and followed up for 1-72 months. Hospital records showed no recurrence during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare, self-limiting condition in childhood and the prognosis depends on the underlying disease. The problem of whether or not routine chest computed tomography scanning should be performed in children with spontaneous pneumomediastinum has not yet been resolved, but if chest computed tomography scanning is performed in every patient with spontaneous pneumomediastinum, pneumorrachis might be detected more frequently. Key Words: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum, Pneumorrhachis, Pneumomediastinum, Pneumothorax
Source: Akdeniz Medical Journal
DOI: 10.53394/akd.1037553
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4200214312