A Rare Complication of COVID 19 “Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum” in Aleppo University Hospital

Abstract

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare condition that usually occurs in a patient with a history of pulmonary disease or as a result of invasive ventilation. Although it is very rare, it may occur spontaneously in COVID-19 infection even without the use of any kind of positive pressure ventilation. In this unique case, a 70-year-old female without any previous medical or surgical history develops spontaneous pneumomediastinum which was detected by computerized tomography during the course of her COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 pneumonia cases which developed pneumomediastinum, as we had in our case, carry poor prognosis. It is, however, still unknown whether the pneumomediastinum was a contributing factor for the patient’s death or it was just an incidental finding in the context of severe COVID-19 infection. Thus, it is necessary to pay attention to this complication as early identification and its management can reduce the associated morbidity and mortality.