The Macklin effect: pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium following blunt chest trauma

• Main Authors: Baharudin , Abdullah, Razali, Mohd Sayuti, Shahid, Hassan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Medical Associations 2006
• Subjects: RF Otorhinolaryngology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/45101/1/Pneumomediastinum_and_Pneumopericardium_following_blunt_chest_trauma.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/45101/; http://www.e-mjm.org/2006/v61n3/Pneumomediastinum.pdf
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Pneumomediastinum, also known as mediastinal emphysema, is due to air collections surrounding the mediastinum. It is reported that up to 10% of patient with blunt chest trauma will develop pneumomediastinum and in less than 2% of patients, pneumomediastinum results from blunt tracheobronchial lesions1 • Pneumopericardium in adults is a rare disorder and may be seen most commonly after blunt chest trauma in combination with pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum 2.