J Korean Soc Radiol.  2011 Oct;65(4):333-335. 10.3348/jksr.2011.65.4.333.

Pneumocephalus due to Compressed Air Injury without Facial Bone Fracture

• Chung HJ
• Lee BH
• Hwang YJ
• Kim SY

• KMID: 2002933
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2011.65.4.333

Abstract

Pneumocephalus without a facial bone fracture or sinus disease is rare. A possible cause of pneumocephalus is high-pressure air applied into the orbit may cause without any evidence of a facial fracture (1-5). The mechanism behind pneumocephalus may be secondary to a blast of air from the orbit to the intracranial space (1, 2) with a degree of pressure (1). We report a case of compressed air injury induced by disseminated pneumocephalus in the absence of a facial bone fracture detected on multidetector computed tomography. After 5 days, a follow-up indicated that the pneumocephalus was almost completely resolved without visual loss.

MeSH Terms

Compressed Air
Facial Bones
Follow-Up Studies
Multidetector Computed Tomography
Orbit
Pneumocephalus

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 51-year-old man injured by a compressed air gun into left orbit. A. Axial MDCT of the facial bone shows extensive emphysema over the left orbit. Air bubbles are detected around the optic nerve intraconal space (arrows). Pneumocephalus is detected in the sella along the optic canal (arrowheads). B. Disseminated pneumocephalus is noted in sella and along the left tentorium cerebellum, subarachnoid space (arrowheads). C. Five days after a follow-up MDCT of the brain shows the pneumocephalus and orbital emphysema as being almost completely resolved, with only a small amount of air bubbles remaining around the optic nerve intraconal space (arrow). Note.-MDCT = multidetector computed tomography

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