Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: a rare complication of acute asthma

Pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema are rare complications of acute asthma. If pneumomediastinum occurs it can cause compression on major vessels in the mediastinum and neck and can lead to low blood pressure along with chest pain and other life-threatening complications. Therefore, knowledge of this condition and its proper management are very important for doctors. The authors report on a case of pneumomediastinum and surgical emphysema and discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of this condition. In this report a 20 year-old girl presented to A and E department of Mayo General Hospital with an acute exacerbation of asthma complicated by pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema.