Pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, and pneumothorax after a pulmonary function testing in a patient with bleomycin-induced interstitial pneumonitis

• Main Authors: Mariana Sponholz Araujo, Frederico Leon Arrabal Fernandes, Fernando Uliana Kay, Carlos Roberto Ribeiro Carvalho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia 2013-09-01
• Series: Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia
• Subjects: Enfisema mediastinico; Enfisema subcutaneo; Espirometria; Bleomicina
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-37132013000500613&lng=en&tlng=en

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an uncommon event, the clinical picture of which includes retrosternal chest pain, subcutaneous emphysema, dyspnea, and dysphonia. The pathophysiological mechanism involved is the emergence of a pressure gradient between the alveoli and surrounding structures, causing alveolar rupture with subsequent dissection of the peribronchovascular sheath and infiltration of the mediastinum and subcutaneous tissue with air. Known triggers include acute exacerbations of asthma and situations that require the Valsalva maneuver. We described and documented with HRCT scans the occurrence of pneumomediastinum after a patient with bleomycin-induced interstitial lung disease underwent pulmonary function testing. Although uncommon, the association between pulmonary function testing and air leak syndromes has been increasingly reported in the literature, and lung diseases, such as interstitial lung diseases, include structural changes that facilitate the occurrence of this complication.