Mediastinum Flashcards
1
Q
Causes of pneumomediastinum
A
Alveolar rupture
- Asthma/copd
- mechanical ventilation
- diving
- smoking MG
- smoking cocaine
- spont
Thoracic trauma
- Closed
- penetrating
Other
- Tracheal bronchial rupture (laceration, bronch, tracheostomy)
- laryngeal trauma
- oeophageal rupture (boerhaave, cancer, endoscopic intervention)
- mediastinal infection
- retropertioneal abnormaiity
- facial fracture / trauma
- fistula
Infection
- TB
- histoplasmosis
- dental or retropharyngeal infection
- mediastinitis
- pneumona
2
Q
Discuss x-ray finding of pneumomediastinum
A
Sub cut emphyesema
- gas anterior to the pericardium
- gas around the pulmonary artery and main branches (ring around artery sign)
- gas outlining bronchial wall
- continuous diaphragm sign
- gas between parietal pleura and diaphragm: extrapleural sign
