Spontaneous pneumomediastinum as a complication of a COVID-19 related pneumonia: case report and review of literature

• Main Authors: Carlo Urigo, MD, Susanne Soin, MA MB BChir FRCR, Ajay Sahu, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-12-01
• Series: Radiology Case Reports
• Subjects: Pneumomediastinum; Covid-19; Covid-19 pulmonary complication; CT Covid Complications
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043320305148

A novel coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, related infection is thought to have originated in Wuhan, China, in November 2019 but spread rapidly to be declared a global pandemic by the WHO in March 2020. The patients typically present with fever and shortness of breath. We describe a case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum at presentation as a complication of severe Covid-19 infection.A 54 year old male patient with no history of smoking, asthma or other underlying chronic lung disease, presented to our emergency department with severe Covid-19 symptoms. His chest x-ray and CT scan on arrival at the emergency department, and prior to any intervention, demonstrated severe bilateral Covid-19 pneumonia complicated by a pneumomediastinum. The aetiology of the pneumomediastinum is thought to be a direct complication of severe covid-19 pneumonia in absence of any previous respiratory history or iatrogenic cause.