Case report
Cervicofacial Subcutaneous Emphysema: Case Report and Review of Literature

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Report of a Case

On August 5, 2007, an 18-year-old black man who had sustained blunt trauma from fists to his head, but no other bodily trauma, presented to the Kings County Hospital Center Emergency Department. He was admitted to the surgical intensive care unit by the trauma service for airway monitoring owing to the substantial cervicofacial edema. On consultation, the patient complained primarily of left mandibular pain and swelling but not of dyspnea or orthopnea. He reported a medical history of

Discussion

On examination, a patient with subcutaneous emphysema can present with a nasal voice quality,22 swelling of the face and neck, a sore throat, neck and chest pain, dysphagia, dyspnea, dysphonia, and wheezing.2 The trapped air can spread to the abdomen and extremities, because of the lack of separation between the fatty tissues.19 The palpation of crackling nodules similar to the texture of tissue paper or “Rice Krispies” under the skin that can even burst to touch are pathognomonic of

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  • Cited by (22)

    • Self-induced subcutaneous cervicofacial emphysema associated with a defect of external auditory canal

      2020, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medicine, and Pathology
    • Cervicofacial Emphysema Complicating a Dental Procedure

      2020, Journal of Emergency Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      Oxygen saturation monitoring is recommended in patients with dyspnea or widespread subcutaneous emphysema. Oxygen inhalation through a cannula or mask can be beneficial for improvement by promoting air absorption by reducing the partial pressure of nitrogen within the blood (5). In severe cases, an emergency physician must prioritize protecting the airway with tracheal intubation in the ED.

    • Pulmonary aspergilloma with subcutaneous fistula resulting in massive hemoptysis & subcutaneous emphysema

      2019, Respiratory Medicine Case Reports
      Citation Excerpt :

      Pathological causes of subcutaneous emphysema include anaerobic, clostridial, mixed, gas-forming facultative aerobic infections. Other etiologies of subcutaneous emphysema include trauma, iatrogenic and incidental causes, such as barotrauma or labor [7]. Subcutaneous emphysema in the absence of the above conditions appears to be a rare phenomenon.

    • Don't Blow It! Extensive Subcutaneous Emphysema of the Neck Caused by Isolated Facial Injuries: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

      2017, Journal of Emergency Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      Air in the subcutaneous tissues will be naturally reabsorbed over a period of 2 to 14 days. To expedite the process, some have advocated the use of 100% oxygen because it reduces the partial pressure of nitrogen, setting up an increased pressure gradient for removal (7,10). Manual “milking” of the air back to an exit point, such as tracheostomy site or maxillary sinus, also has been suggested and is reportedly unlikely to cause harm (8).

    • Pyriform sinus perforation after sneezing with cervical subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum

      2011, Annales Francaises d'Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie et de Pathologie Cervico-Faciale
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