Post adenotonsillectomy pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema:  A  rare complication of a common procedure.

Farah Wahida ABD MANAB^1,2, Nor Shahida ABDUL MUTALLIB¹, Hisham ABDUL RAHMAN¹, Hamidah MAMAT¹

¹Department of otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery, Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim, Kedah, Malaysia, ²Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Cervicofacial and pneumomediastinum subcutaneous emphysema is a very rare complication of adenotonsillectomy procedure. Even though it is a self limiting complication and can be treated conservatively, it can alarming for the patient or patient’s family as well as leading to more serious and fatal consequences occurring from tension pneumomediastinum. We report a case of incidental finding of pneumomediastinum in postadenotonsillectomy patient. He was managed conservatively and made an uneventful recovery.

Keywords: tonsillectomy, subcutaneous emphysema, complication

Correspondence: Dr Farah Wahida binti Abd Manab, MD (USM), Department of otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia

Tel:+6044457333 (ext:3700), Fax: +6044480106/ +6044480092

Email: farahwahida05@gmail.com

Brunei Int Med J. 2017; 13 (1): 29-32