A tenacious trio of retropharyngeal emphysema, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report

Arjunkumar Asokan and Amalina Abu Othman and Mun, Stephanie Chen Kar and Larry Ellee Nyanti and Chien, Huan Nai and Hema Yamini Ramarmuty and Kunji Kannan Sivaraman Kannan (2024) A tenacious trio of retropharyngeal emphysema, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report. Borneo Journal of Medical Sciences, 18 (3). pp. 192-197. ISSN 1985-1758

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Abstract

Retropharyngeal emphysema (RPE) is the presence of air in the retropharyngeal area. It may occur due to various etiologies or sometimes spontaneously due to an underlying lung pathology. This report describes a case of a 26-year-old gentleman with pulmonary tuberculosis on treatment who presented with acute breathlessness and dysphagia. His neck and chest radiograph showed retropharyngeal emphysema with pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. This was further confirmed by a CT neck and thorax. The patient was managed conservatively with analgesia, antibiotics, IV corticosteroids and oxygen supplementation. Repeat chest radiograph after 17 days showed resolution of retropharyngeal emphysema. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for RPE in patients who present with unexplained acute breathlessness and dysphagia of a diseased lung.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Retropharyngeal emphysema, Pneumomediastinum, Pulmonary tuberculosis, Subcutaneous emphysema, Case report
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General) > R5-920 Medicine (General) R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC31-1245 Internal medicine > RC306-320.5 Tuberculosis
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	01 Oct 2024 10:26
Last Modified:	01 Oct 2024 10:26
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/41133

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