Subcutaneous emphysema

Abstract

The issue of subcutaneous emphysema is comprehensively discussed. After specifying the terminology, differentiation is made between traumatic and surgical emphysema. Problems relating to the onset of emphysema resulting from direct or indirect trauma to bone or soft tissues, regardless of the presence or not of fractures, are studied in detail. As shown by pertinent literature data, surgical emphysema is the commonets, with dental procedures, dental extraction in particular, presenting single or combined accumulation of air, being the most frequent causes of its development. Diseaes with unknown etiology and unpredictable circumstances promoting the occurrence of emphysema are assigned under a separate heading. Emphasis is laid on the importance of x-ray methods of study for demonstrating the different localization1 of air, contributing to diagnose not merely orbital and cervico-facial, but also mediastinal and parapharyngeal emphysema. A case from the surgical dental practice is presented conceming a largely spread subcutaneous emphysema in an attempt at wisdom tooth extraction.