Shaba Molvi¹*, Giya Mathew¹, Muneera Oduvangattil² and Fayez Zaman³

¹Specialist, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
²Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
³Consultant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

*Corresponding Author: Shaba Molvi, Specialist, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Received: February 04, 2025; Published: February 17, 2025

Abstract

Pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema are rare conditions that can occur after childbirth, particularly following a normal vaginal delivery. While these conditions are typically associated with trauma, excessive straining, or mechanical ventilation, their occurrence post-normal delivery is uncommon. It follows prolonged and forceful Valsalva manoeuvres that increase intra-thoracic pressure. This case report presents a woman who developed pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema after normal vaginal delivery. This patient developed chest pain and dyspnea four hours post-delivery, and subcutaneous emphysema was palpable. This case report discusses the clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, and management strategies. A chest radiograph can confirm the diagnosis however, a computed tomography thorax may be required. Treatment is conservative as it is usually self-limiting. There is sparse evidence or guidance regarding managing postpartum pneumomediastinum, but the consensus appears to be supplemental oxygen for 24 hours. This patient was managed without oxygen therapy and showed a regressive course, visible on repeated X-rays.

Keywords: Pneumomediastinum; Valsalva Maneuver; Postpartum; Pregnancy; Subcutaneous Emphysema

References

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Citation

Citation: Shaba Molvi., et al. “A Case Report on Pneumomediastinum and Subcutaneous Emphysema Following Normal Delivery". Acta Scientific Women's Health 7.3 (2025): 29-32.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Shaba Molvi., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.