A rare cause of acute respiratory failure: spontaneous pneumomediastinum due to cocaine use

Abstract

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is defined as free air in mediastinum without any underlying pulmonary pathology. Although spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rarely seen clinical entity, it is one of the most common reasons of sudden pleuritic chest pain in healthy young individuals. Cocaine inhalation is also associated with the development of spontaneous pneumomediastinum. Our case having spontaneous pneumomediastinum was referred to our emergency service with the complaint of acute respiratory failure due to cocaine abuse, and the etiology, clinical presentation and the treatment of the disease were evaluated in our study.