Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency Medicine)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Pulmonology)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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A condition where air enters the mediastinum (space around the heart and food tube). Causes include severe vomiting, vigorous coughing, or direct trauma to the chest.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Most cases don't need treatment as the body will slowly absorb the air. Breathing high concentrations of oxygen may speed up recovery. Antibiotics will be used if infection is suspected. Rarely, surgery is required if there are injuries to other organs.
Maunder RJ, Pierson DJ, Hudson LD. Subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema. Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. Arch Intern Med. 1984 Jul;144(7):1447-53. PMID: 6375617.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/604688Yoshimaru K, Kaku N, Taku K, Maki J, Taguchi T. Mediastinal emphysema induced by minor intraoral toothbrush injury. Pediatr Int. 2021 Apr;63(4):488-489. doi: 10.1111/ped.14528. PMID: 33881214.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ped.14528van der Horst W, Nier H, Meyer W. Traumatic mediastinal emphysema. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg (1978). 1980;97(1):17-9. doi: 10.1007/BF00381523. PMID: 7447655.
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Reviewed By:
Maxwell J. Nanes, DO (Emergency Medicine)
Dr Nanes received a doctorate from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete a residency in emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There he trained at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in the practice of adult and pediatric emergency medicine. He was a chief resident and received numerous awards for teaching excellence during his time there. | | After residency he took a job at a community hospital where he and his colleagues worked through the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Pulmonology)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
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