Understanding the course of COVID-19-induced pneumomediastinum

Abstract

Since its discovery, COVID-19 has infected nearly 112 million people and caused about 2.5 millions deaths worldwide. Our understanding of the clinical presentation and complications of COVID-19 is still evolving. Bilateral pulmonary ground-glass opacities on imaging have become characteristic in the diagnosis of COVID-19, but pneumomediastinum has now also been reported in some patients with COVID-19. Reports on the overall prognosis for these patients are conflicting and little information exists regarding long-term complications. This article describes the clinical course of a patient who did not need mechanical ventilation but developed spontaneous pneumomediastinum.