Case Report: Anterior Pneumomediastinum, Secondary to Dental Procedure

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Neumomediastinum is defined as the presence of air in the mediastinum, It has variable incidence that oscillates between 1/80000 and 1/420000, generates a diversity of clinical characteristics. It can be secondary to thoracic or extra thoracic entities, within extrathoracic causes; it can be associated with dental procedures, being of vital importance consider the possibility and the association to this procedure to get to an adequate diagnosis and treatment. CASE REPORT: A 23-year-old female patient who, 24 hours prior to admission, underwent a dental procedure such as a third-molar left third molar extraction, in which manual instruments and pneumatics dental lathe were used, which had to be suspended; the patient presented severe pain plus respiratory difficulty, after that she presented oppressive chest pain, mandibular and left side neck, accompanied by subcutaneous emphysema in the left side of the face, neck bilaterally and left subclavicular EVOLUTION: The patient was hospitalize with a diagnosis of neumomediastinum secondary to dental procedure to receive treatment with broad spectrum antibiotic and surveillance, during her hospitalization for three days she remains stable, afebrile with general clinical improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The neumomediastinum is a rare complication after odontological interventions. It should be suspected when pneumatic instrument lathe are used that dissect facial, neck and thorax soft tissues; the patient had a favorable evolution based on the diagnosis and early treatment proposed by the doctors according to the patients symptoms.