Case historyIn May 2007, a 29-year-old man was admitted to our ward complaining of chest pain exacerbated by deep breathing but not by change of position. The chest pain episodes were short-lasting (some minutes), but the patient complained of several relapses. Simultaneously, soft-consistency bilateral swelling of the neck appeared in the submandibular and lateral cervical regions.Ten hours before admission, the patient had undergone dental surgery for removal of the III right inferior wisdom tooth. The procedure was particularly difficult and lasted for more than 90 min.The family history was negative for cardiovascular disease; no relevant previous disease was present. He was not on any medical treatment; however, he smoked 15 cigarettes a day, and his alcohol intake was moderate.Physical examination of the patient showed normal blood pressure (120/80 mmHg) and heart rate (65 beats/ min). He was eupnoeic, and oxygen saturation of the blood was 97% (no oxygen supply). Body temperature was normal. A physical examinations showed bilateral swelling of subcutaneous tissues that were more pronounced on the right side of the neck, chest, and in the submandibular, lateral cervical, supraclavicular, and mammary regions, with modest pain and ''crepitation'' on digital pressure. The cardiac auscultation produced crackling, bubbling, and rubbing related to systole.The patient's white cell count was modestly elevated (11,100/mm 3 ), while the renal and liver functions and urinalysis were normal. No elevation of troponin I or T and of creatinine-phosphokinase was detected. The ECG showed the presence of sinus rhythm and high-voltage Twaves in peripheral leads. The chest X-ray examination showed no abnormal findings (Fig. 1). Based on these findings, a preliminary diagnosis of acute pericarditis was made.
Differential diagnosisThe differential diagnosis in a patient with a combination of head and neck swelling, chest pain, and cardiac crackles includes the following: pneumothorax, oesophageal rupture, expanding haematoma, infection in the fascial planes, subcutaneous emphysema with pneumomediastinum, anaphylaxis, angioneurotic oedema, or other allergic reactions.
Further investigationsThe patient underwent a neck/thorax CT scan (Figs. 2, 3) that demonstrated severe subcutaneous emphysema extending from the level of parapharingeal and submandibular spaces to the rest of the neck, to the jugular fossa, to the supraclavicular spaces, and to the retrosternal portion of the mediastinum. No pleural or parenchymal lesions were detected. An echocardiograph evaluation showed a normal ejection fraction and cardiac dimensions, and no signs of pulmonary hypertension or of pericarditis