COVID-19-Related life-threatening complications: pneumothorax, pneumo mediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema

Abstract

Complications of COVID-19-related pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, and pneumomediastinum are frequently observed in moderate and severe pneumonia cases. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence and potential risk factors of life-threatening complications such as pneumothorax, pneumo-mediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema that develop in patients received in the tertiary ICUs of our hospital, which serves as a pandemic hospital and to analyze their relationship with mortality. Patients' demographic characteristics, comorbid diseases, length of hospital stay, day and duration of thoracic tube placement, discharge status, and hospitalization laboratory findings were recorded, and the relationship of these parameters with mortality due to pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, and pneumomediastinum were investigated. Of these patients, 33 had pneumothorax, 12 had pneumomediastinum, and 28 had subcutaneous emphysema. Male and female patients were equally represented, and mortality rates were similar. While the rate of pneumothorax in the study patients was 2.21 %, the rate of all life-threatening sequelae such as pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema was 4.7 %, with a high mortality rate (90 %) in 70 patients with these complications. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia should be constantly monitored for life-threatening complications such as pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema during their long-term follow-up.