Korean J Anesthesiol.  2013 Apr;64(4):376-379. 10.4097/kjae.2013.64.4.376.

Pneumomediastinum after arthroscopic shoulder surgery: A case report

• Kim HK
• Ko ES
• Kim JY
• Park JM
• Kim JY
• Woo NS

• KMID: 2299379
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2013.64.4.376

Abstract

An 86-year-old female with a history of right rotator cuff injury was admitted for arthroscopic shoulder surgery under general anesthesia. There were no remarkable immediate postoperative complications. However, while recovering in the general ward, she developed dyspnea with hypoxia. She was immediately treated with oxygen, and antibiotics after pneumomediastinum was confirmed on both chest x-ray and chest computed tomography. Subcutaneous emphysema on either face or neck followed by arthroscopic shoulder surgery was common, but pneumomediastinum with hypoxia is a rare but extremely dangerous complication. Thus we would like to report our case and its pathology, the diagnosis, the treatment and prevention, with literature review.

Keyword

Arthroscopic surgery; Pneumomediastinum; Postoperative complication

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia, General
Anoxia
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Arthroscopy
Dyspnea
Female
Humans
Mediastinal Emphysema
Neck
Oxygen
Patients' Rooms
Postoperative Complications
Rotator Cuff
Shoulder
Subcutaneous Emphysema
Thorax
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Oxygen