Pneumocephalus and Pneumorrhachis due to a Subarachnoid Pleural Fistula That Developed after Thoracic Spine Surgery

Development of a communication between the spinal subarachnoid space and the pleural space after thoracic spine surgery is uncommon. Subarachnoid pleural fistula (SAPF), a distressing condition, involves cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Here we report an unusual case of SAPF, occurring after thoracic spine surgery, that was further complicated by pneumocephalus and pneumorrhachis postthoracentesis, which was performed for unilateral pleural effusion.

A Case of Pneumorrhachis Associated with Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum and Subcutaneous Emphysema / 대한이비인후과학회지

Pneumorrhachis or epidural emphysema is an uncommon finding observed in the spinal epidural space. Pneumorrhachis could be occasionally associated with pneumomediastinum or pneumothorax or subcutaneous emphysema. Probably this results from air that leaks from the mediastinum, which traverses through the fascial planes and intervertebral neural foramina. In particular, without any causes, these conditions rarely appear simultaneously with trauma, surgery, malignancy, anesthesiological interventions, or Valsalva maneuvers. We report a case of pneumorrhachis accompanied by spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema that was resolved after conservative treatment.

Pneumorraquis, espondilitis y meningitis secundarios a cistitis enfisematosa / Pneumorrhachis, spondylitis and meningitis secondary to emphysematous cystitis. Report of one case

We report a 57-year-old woman who presented with low back pain, fever and impairment of consciousness. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit in Glasgow 8, with neck stiffness, peritoneal irritation, leukocytosis, hyperglycemia requiring insulin and a urine test suspecting an infection. Brain CT was unremarkable, while CT of the abdomen and pelvis evidenced emphysematous cystitis, retropneumoperitoneum and pneumorrhachis. Blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid cultures were positive to Escherichia coli. She was treated with ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and amikacin during one month followed by ciprofloxacin until completing 100 days. The air in the spinal canal and bladder decreased. However she suffered several infectious complications such as multiple paravertebral, epidural and psoas abscesses, L5-S1 spondylitis and a L3 fracture. As an inflammatory complication she developed a bulbar infarction and tetraparesis. She had a good clinical response with medical treatment, partial improvement of the paresis and reduction of epidural abscesses.

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum with Concurrent Pneumorrhachis

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a very uncommon entity that is defined as the presence of free air in the mediastinum without an obvious etiology. The presence of air in the spinal canal, known as concurrent pneumorrhachis, is an extremely rare epiphenomenon of spontaneous pneumomediastinum. We report a rare case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum with pneumorrhachis associated with influenza. The patient was diagnosed without invasive procedures, was managed with supportive treatment, and recovered without any complications.

Atypical Traumatic Pneumorrhachis Accompanied by Paraparesis

Pneumorrhachis, caused by intraspinal air, is an exceptional but important radiographic finding that is accompanied by different etiologies. Pneumorrhachis, by itself, is usually asymptomatic and gets reabsorbed spontaneously. Therefore, the patients with pneumorrhachis are mostly managed conservatively. We encountered a unique case of atypical traumatic pneumorrhachis accompanied by paraparesis.

Symptomatic Epidural Pneumorrhachis : A Rare Entity

Pneumorrhachis, which involves the entrapment of air or gas within the spinal canal, is a rare clinical entity, and the pathogenesis and etiologies of this uncommon entity are various and can present a diagnostic challenge. Usually, pneumorrhachis represents an asymptomatic epiphenomenon but it can produce symptoms associated with its underlying pathology. Here, we report a rare case of symptomatic epidural pneumorrhachis accompanying pneumothorax. Possible pathogenic mechanisms are discussed and a review of the literature is included.

A Case of Pneumorrhachis and Pneumoscrotum Following Colon Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection has been a useful treatment of selected colorectal neoplasia cases. The incidence of perforation related to colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection is 5-20%. However, while there have been numerous reports regarding retroperitoneal, mediastinal, pleural and subcutaneous emphysema after therapeutic colonoscopy, pneumoscrotum is a relatively rare manifestation of perforation associated with colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection. In particular, pneumorrhachis, or air within the spinal cord, following therapeutic colonoscopy, is extremely rare. Herein, we report a conservatively treated perforation case as having pneumorrhachis, penumoscrotum, and pneumoperitoneum after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection.

A Case of Broncho-Paraspinal Fistula Induced by Metallic Devices: Delayed Complication of Thoracic Spinal Surgery

We present a case report of a 45-year-old woman with spontaneous pneumocephalus accompanied by pneumorrhachis of the thoracic spine, which is a very rare condition generally associated with trauma and thoracic or spinal surgery. The patient had undergone an operation about 10 years earlier to treat a giant cell tumor of the thoracic spine. During the operation, a metallic device was installed, which destroyed the bronchus and caused the formation of a broncho-paraspinal fistula. This is the suspected cause of her pneumocephalus and pneumorrhachis. To our knowledge, this is a very rare case of pneumocephalus accompanied by pneumorrhachis induced by metallic device, and when considering the length of time after surgery these complications presented are also exceptional.

Pneumorrhachis and Paraspinal Air with Vacuum Disc: Case Report and Literature Review

Air within the spinal canal called pneumorrhachis has been seen rarely. We report a case showing multiple air pockets in the paraspinal and epidural space with vacuum disc and review pathogenesis and treatment of pneumorrhachis.