Clinical features of medical pneumomediastinum.

PURPOSE: The clinical features of pneumomediastinum are clarified. METHODS: Eight patients with pneumomediastinum, caused by other than trauma or operative, diagnostic, or therapeutic trouble (medical pneumomediastinum), were studied retrospectively. RESULTS: There were seven men and one woman with an average age of 17.5 years. The incidence was about 1:320 in thoracic surgical inpatients. The causes were bronchial asthma in three patients, physical exertion in one, and forced swallowing in one. There were three spontaneous cases. The chief complaints were dyspnea in five patients including three patients with bronchial asthma, chest pain in two, and pharyngeal pain in one. Subcutaneous emphysema was observed in all patients. Hamman's sign was audible in only one patient. Roentgenologically, subcutaneous emphysema was observed in all patients. Pneumomediastinum parallel to the heart was observed in five patients. The continuous diaphragm sign was detected in three patients. Five patients were prohibited from eating and drinking excluding those with pneumomediastinum due to bronchial asthma, considering the esophageal origin. Prophylactic antibiotics were prescribed for all patients. Pneumomediastinum improved within 7 days in all patients. The mean length of hospitalization was 7.8 days, ranging from 4 to 13 days. CONCLUSION: In consideration of air of the esophageal origin, non per oral was prescribed. With the prevention of mediastinitis using antibiotics, all patients recovered. Emergency endoscopic examination was unnecessary.

Recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the breast with undifferentiated features: report of a case.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the breast is a rare type of cancer, the origin of which is still uncertain. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the breast with a recurrent tumor that showed undifferentiated features. The patient was a 55-year-old woman who originally presented with a left breast mass in the upper outer quadrant. Echography showed a 46 x 29 x 23-mm mass with cavity formation, and aspiration cytology confirmed a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. A modified radical mastectomy with level III lymph node dissection was performed. Pathologically, the tumor was composed of squamous cell carcinoma and noninvasive ductal carcinoma. A recurrent tumor showing undifferentiated features was detected in the left forechest 3 months after the operation, and tumorectomy with partial resection of the major and minor pectoralis muscles was performed. Despite intensive therapy including chemotherapy (CEF: cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil) and irradiation (50 Gy), the patient died from pulmonary and skin metastases 20 months after her initial operation. The squamous cell carcinoma of the breast in this patient grew rapidly and her prognosis was poor. Immunohistochemical findings indicated the possibility that the squamous cell carcinoma developed from noninvasive ductal carcinoma of the comedo type, and that the undifferentiated cells from the site of recurrence developed from dedifferentiation of the squamous cell carcinoma.