Hamman's syndrome - spontaneous pneumomediastinum presenting with extensive neck emphysema

Czech version

Authors: M. Hyravý; M. Brož; Richard Salzman
Authors‘ workplace: Klinika otorinolaryngologie a chirurgie hlavy a krku LF UP a FN Olomouc
Published in: Otorinolaryngol Foniatr, 69, 2020, No. 1, pp. 31-34.
Category: Case Reports

Overview

The autors present a case of a 39 year old patient with spontaneous pneumomediastinum and extensive neck emphysema. The patient was referred to the ENT clinic with neck swelling, hyponasal voice, dysphagia and dysphonia manifesting for several hours. Clinical examination and CT scan of the neck and mediastinum revealed pneumomediastinum with extensive subcutaneous emphysema of the neck without clear cause. Subsequent bronchoscopy didin´t reveal any pathological findings. After the other etiologies were excluded, the diagnosis of spontaneous pneumomediastinum – Hamman´s syndrome was established. The patient was discharged from the hospital in three days after significant regression of findings without any relevant clinical symptoms. The case report points out non-serious , but dramatically looking condition that can be mistaken for a disease with significant morbidity and mortality which needs more aggressive treatment.

Keywords:

spontaneous pneumomediastinum – subcutaneous emphysema – Hamman´s syndrome

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