Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum Secondary to Undiagnosed Asthma in Military Adult.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is a rare but described complication of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), more commonly observed in children with asthma. We present a 23-year-old active duty military male and avid distance runner who developed progressive radiating retrosternal chest pain preceded by wheezing and coughing paroxysm. A chest computed tomography revealed extensive pneumomediastinum. SPM results from increased intrathoracic pressure with alveolar rupture and subsequent tracking of air between fascial planes. Like most cases of SPM, our patient remained hemodynamically stable and responded well to conservative therapies with complete resolution. After thorough evaluation, undiagnosed asthma was determined to be the inciting etiology. The patient is now well controlled and symptom free on a daily low-dose inhaled corticosteroid without SPM reoccurrence. In young adult patients presenting with SPM, EIB and asthma should be considered on the differential diagnosis as appropriate medical therapy will improve symptoms and reduce risk of reoccurrence. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2023. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Citation

Jeanette Klamfoth, Matthew Koroscil. Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum Secondary to Undiagnosed Asthma in Military Adult. Military medicine. 2024 Jan 23;189(1-2):e433-e438

Mesh Tags

PMID: 37525947

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