Pneumomediastinum and air leaks secondary to COVID-19: Expectant vs. invasive management of a rare complication.

ABSTRACT

Several alterations that, due to their pathophysiology, are collectively classified as "air leaks", have been rare complications of COVID-19 pneumonia. In the context of infection by SARS-CoV-2, the debate arises as to whether these are classified as spontaneous or secondary, since the multiple mechanisms of pulmonary structural damage that COVID-19 entails condition lung fragility in a patient in short time. For the above, we presents the case of a 36-year-old female patient with COVID-19 complicated with pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema in order to illustrate and discuss these complications.

RESUMEN

Diversas alteraciones que, por su fisiopatología, son clasificadas en conjunto como «fugas de aire¼, han sido complicaciones raras de la neumonía por COVID-19. Respecto a la infección por SARS-CoV-2, se plantea el debate de si estas se clasifican como espontáneas o secundarias, ya que los múltiples mecanismos de daño estructural pulmonar que conlleva la COVID-19 condicionan fragilidad pulmonar en corto lapso. Por lo anterior, se expone el caso de una paciente de 36 años con COVID-19 complicada con neumomediastino y enfisema subcutáneo con el objetivo de ilustrar y discutir dichas complicaciones.