Pneumomediastinum revisited: we should reconsider usual classification

Abstract

Pneumomediastinum work-up should focus on differentiating mediastinal organ injuries from alveolar rupture since these two causative mechanisms have a different management and prognosis. After an admission at our Emergency Department, we wanted to challenge the current classification into ‘spontaneous’ or ‘secondary’ pneumomediastinum, which reflects the clinical rather than the pathophysiological circumstances and is therefore confusing and inappropriate to our view. We propose a new work-up algorithm based on clinical risks factors and chest CT findings.

Keywords:

• Pneumomediastinum
• chest trauma