Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pregnancy-Associated Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum: A Contemporary Review, Sonu Sahni, Narcisse Amine

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (New York) Publications and Research

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM), also referred to as mediastinal emphysema, is defined as the presence of free air in the mediastinal cavity without a clear and identifiable cause. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum, in general, is a relatively rare condition, more so in the setting of pregnancy or labor. Clinically, SPM may present as dyspnea, chest pain, and subcutaneous swelling, which may be of serious concern in the setting of pregnancy. A comprehensive literature review revealed that the majority of patients are primiparas, of a younger age, and have term or longer durations of pregnancy. The second stage of labor was found to be …