An unusual case of spontaneous nontraumatic pneumocephalus in the setting of remote craniofacial surgery.

Autor: Beaumont R; Department of Emergency Medicine, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Phoebe Putney Health System, Albany, GA, United States of America. Electronic address: beaumontrr@gmail.com., Anderson R; Department of Emergency Medicine, Saint Vincent Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, Erie, PA, United States of America., Carlson JN; Department of Emergency Medicine, Saint Vincent Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, Erie, PA, United States of America.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The American journal of emergency medicine [Am J Emerg Med] 2021 Sep; Vol. 47, pp. 336.e1-336.e3. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Mar 02.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.02.065
Abstrakt: Background: Pneumocephalus is an uncommon pathology that typically follows head trauma, neurosurgery, or skull base tumors. Rarely, cases of spontaneous pneumocephalus can occur, most often in the setting of barotrauma.
Case Description: We describe a rare case of spontaneous pneumocephalus in the absence of barotrauma in a 31-year-old male who presented with a headache and a normal neurologic exam. Imaging revealed subarachnoid and subdural pneumocephalus. The patient underwent surgical exploration, revealing an ethmoid bone defect caused by encroachment of material from a remote reconstructive surgery of the left orbit, which was subsequently repaired.
Conclusion: Although rare, spontaneous pneumocephalus should be considered even in the absence of clinical neurologic findings or barotrauma, in patients with previous cranial surgery and unexplained headaches.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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