A unique presentation of Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum following COVID-19 infection

Pneumomediastinum is a rare, life-threatening condition in which air leaks into the mediastinum. Usually, this results from a traumatic event that leads to the escape of air from the airway, lungs, or bowel into the chest cavity. Patients with lung pathology, infections, or a history of mechanical intubation have an increased risk of developing a pneumomediastinum. The pneumomediastinum patient will classically present with chest pain, dyspnea, voice changes, and subcutaneous emphysema in the face, neck, or chest. On physical exam, auscultation reveals a “crunching” sound (known as Hamman’s sign) and palpation of the subcutaneous tissues of the upper chest and neck reveals subcutaneous emphysema. CT imaging of the thorax is typically used to confirm the diagnosis and assists in gauging the degree of involvement. Treatment is often conservative with supportive management, as the surrounding tissues will eventually reabsorb the air present in the chest cavity. While pneumomediastinum is not commonly associated with viral pneumonia, it has been seen in patients with COVID 19 pneumonia even without a history of mechanical ventilation. It is crucial to monitor COVID 19 patients for the development of pneumomediastinum, which can signify deterioration of their condition. This article presents the case of a 40-year old female patient who developed a spontaneous pneumomediastinum secondary to COVID-19 infection after discharge from the hospital