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Findings that shed new light on the possible pathogenesis of a disease or an adverse effect
CASE REPORT
Cervicofacial and mediastinal emphysema complicating tooth extraction in an elderly patient: a preventable complication
  1. Gabriel Ayonmigbesimi Akra1,
  2. Khalid Yousif2
  1. 1Emergency, Albury Wodonga Health Albury Campus, Albury, Australia
  2. 2Emergency Department, South West Health Campus, Bunbury, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Gabriel Ayonmigbesimi Akra, akragbesimi{at}yahoo.com, gbesimi{at}gmail.com

Summary

Subcutaneous emphysema is widely documented in the literature and well known by doctors and dentists. However, subcutaneous emphysema following tooth extraction is not very common.

We report the case of a 72-year-old female who presented to the emergency department of the Bunbury Hospital in Bunbury in the state of Western Australia in Australia, with subcutaneous emphysema of the face and neck with extension into the mediastinum, following a complicated tooth extraction in 2016. It was a dramatic and scary occurrence for both the patient and dentist, but totally preventable. The investigations and treatment could have been very invasive. However, with limited and essential management, the process was kept simple and safe for the patient.

  • Emergency medicine
  • Dentistry and oral medicine
  • Oral and maxillofacial surgery

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2017-219245

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors GAA and KY both managed the patient. GAA wrote the manuscript. KY reviewed and made corrections and additions to the manuscript. Patient consent for the use of pictures and publication was obtained by GAA.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.