Hereditary angioedema and pneumomediastinum

Gastrointestinal and respiratory involvement is common in hereditary angioedema, laryngeal edema being the main cause of mortality in these patients. We report the case of an 18 year-old woman with a history of hereditary angioedema, who presented an episode of coughing and vomiting the night before, and who was diagnosed with pneumomediastinum as a complication of an episode of angioedema. We review the causes and pathogenesis of the mediastinic emphysema.